Fallen Angel Restored
by LunaticFringe'sAngel-LA15
Summary: Fans always viewed the SHIELD as a dominant group of brothers that did what they had to to be on top. The Hounds of Justice. They don't know that "brothers" has a much deeper meaning than brothers in arms. Even more than blood brothers. Through deception, there's family. Through betrayal and heartbreak, there's romance. Disclaimer: I own nothing but my ideas, I'm just a WWEFanGirl.
1. What Are We Supposed To Be?

Chapter One: What Are We Supposed To Be?

Warning: If m/m stuff isn't your thing, don't read anything in between the #Explicit's. If you're cool with just about everything like me (except certain mpreg's *shivers*), then continue reading.

A/N: My 1st Ambrollins fanfic, so excited! It'll be fluffy until about chapter 4 or 5-ish, so hang in there. Read, review if you can, and enjoy! Disclaimer: WWE owns the shows and wrestlers, I just own my ideas

By the time Dean Ambrose got back to the hotel, the sun was up and so were his brothers. Well, one of them at least. Silently slipping in the hotel room, Dean tried to make his way over to his younger brother's bed when he's grabbed from behind. "Son of a-!" was all he could get out before the Samoan Superman, Roman Reigns, put his hand over his mouth. By the look on Roman's face, he was trying hard not to bust out laughing.

"Shh, it's just me. Tell Seth I'll be down in the gym if he needs me." He sniffed the air and frowned. "Why do you smell like coffee?" he asked skeptically as he swept his wavy black locks into a ponytail. Dean groaned as he pulled his coffee-stained hoodie off. He muttered an, "It's a long story", to which Roman shrugged and closed the door after walking towards the elevator. When Roman was gone, Dean took off his stained shirt and curled up under the blankets in the occupied bed. Seth Rollins, with his two-toned black/blonde hair, looked positively peaceful. Dean, who was restless, did his best to curl up beside Seth without waking him. As soon as he tried, Seth put his arm around Dean and snuggled into his chest with a satisfied sigh. The Lunatic Fringe grinned.

Over the last few years, the two had grown closer with every passing day. One night, after a huge PPV win over the Usos and Dolph Ziggler, the SHIELD went to a bar and celebrated. Roman, being the responsible big brother he is, didn't drink enough to get charged with DUI and drove them back to their hotel in Boston. Roman then, of course, gave them the room key card and went to go workout in the gym. (Call him crazy, but an easy workout was just what Roman needed after a good match. He got a lot of confused and bewildered looks from the people down there. Most of them either saw the show on the tvs or saw the pictures of him and his brothers on social media. He just did what he usually did. Weights, ropes, quick run on a treadmill, the works). Somehow making it into the elevator and to the 5th floor, Seth and Dean stumbled drunkenly into their room.

XxX (Flashback)

 _Seth closed the door behind him as best he could, dragging Dean into the middle of the room. Dean, who was only just a bit tipsy because of his high alcohol tolerance, had a confused look on his face. The Architect had a stupid grin plastered on his. He kept backing Dean into the room until they were face-to-face against the wall. Dean, who always wanted the upper hand in any situation, swiftly reversed their positions._

 _"D-Dean? W-What're ya doin'? Sum' wron' itchu?" Seth said, slurring his sentence._

 _"Mmm, I dunno… Call it experimenting," he responded. This was it. This was his opportunity to show Seth just how much he means to him. Maybe they wouldn't go all the way. Hell, Dean was sure they wouldn't go all the way. At the very least, the worst Seth could do was say he was straight and wasn't into him. Taking a leap of faith, he pressed his lips tenderly to Seth's. The younger brother was paralyzed with shock, so he didn't move until Dean pulled away, a look of pure fear in his eyes._

 _"Seth? I… I didn't mean to… I just-,"_

 _Seth shocked Dean by kissing him back with hunger and passion Dean never knew he had. After what felt like an eternity, they broke apart gasping for air. Dean pulled him into a slow, gentle kiss and they continued making out for the next few minutes. They explore every inch of each other's mouths, trying to commit their feel and taste to memory. When Seth could hardly think straight, he pushed Dean onto the bed. He climbed on top of him and slid his hands under Dean's shirt. Dean's rough, tender hands stopped his._

 _"If we're gonna do this, I want it to be when we're fully sober and can actually remember. And besides," he said with a smirk as he, in one fluid movement, flipped Seth over to straddle him, "We'll be like this for our first time together._ "

XxX (End Flashback)

#Explicit

Dean sighed contently at that memory. He leaned over and kissed Seth's cheek. Just by the feel' of him, Seth was wearing nothing but boxers. Sliding his hand down, Seth was also hard. ' _Must be a good dream_ ,' he thought. His thoughts were confirmed when he heard Seth moan. After the next few times, he moaned his name. Dean, being the opportunist, slid his hand down Seth's boxers and started giving him a hand job and smiled. Of course, Seth's moans got louder with every pump of his brother's hand. He woke up when Dean started to feel something wet on his hands.

"What the hell?" Seth barely managed to get out, panting, before he moaned again. He felt a hand touching him, then looked over wide-eyed at his big brother. "D-Dean?! Are you- *moan*- Is this a dream?!"

"Nope. And here's the proof," he said seductively as he pulled down Seth's boxers and started giving him a blowjob instead. Seth practically screamed Dean's name. ' _This_... _is the best wet dream… ever. Dean would never do this for real. I hope he's not here listening to me. I bet I'm pretty loud_ ,' he thought.

"Dean! I'm gonna-!" the two-toned man shouted. He shut his eyes and waited to wake up, but he never did. Instead, his whole body was filled with a familiar indescribable feeling. Seth tried to calm down his breathing as he struggled to figure out what was going on.

#Explicit End

"Wait, all that just now… It was real?!" Seth squeaked with a flushed face.

The Lunatic Fringe answered by giving him a deep kiss, so deep he could taste himself on Dean's lips. "I say we could both go for a shower. Man, you have no idea how long I've wanted to do that," he finally said.

"So what are we supposed to be? I mean *chuckles then sighs* brothers obviously doesn't cut it."

"How about boyfriends then?"

A/N: 1st time I've ever written anything smutty-ish before, I hope it doesn't suck (knowing me, it probably does)... Any comments and feedback would be appreciated!


	2. Confessions

Chapter Two: Confessions

Seth sits up at that statement, staring at Dean in gleeful disbelief. "So we're official?! We're a… a,uh… thing now?" he asked, nervous and hopeful. Dean chuckled as he began taking the rest of his clothes off.

"Ya know, most people say in a relationship. But sure, we're a "thing" now. An item, couple, whatever. But c'mon, you can't tell me you never felt it. Our chemistry in the ring, our time in the SHIELD together? It wasn't just ring chemistry, believe me," replies Dean. The two-toned man doesn't know how to respond, too busy gawking at Dean's abs. The Lunatic Fringe laughs at Seth's glazed over stare. "Don't act like you've never seen me without clothes on golden boy!" Seth snaps out of it.

"I-um… you were gonna take a shower, right?" was his only reply. His mind was too consumed with what he wanted to do to Dean without clothes on to come up with a snarky comeback. He fidgeted nervously when Dean started taking his pants off. He's seen Dean this way hundreds of times, even before they were in WWE together. He was never like this then, so why did he act like some shy little school girl with a crush now?

"Correction: WE are gonna take a shower. You think we can just pretend like this never happened? 'Cuz I sure as Hell don't. And I know that look!" he said before Seth could speak with an alarmed look on his face, "We don't have to do that… unless you want to…" Dean finished in a seductive tone. Seth gulped and started taking off his clothes, following Dean into the hotel bathroom.

"How are we gonna explain this to Roman?" he asked, stepping into the shower and turning it on.

"He's not one to judge, especially when it comes to us. It won't be that much of a shock. You think he doesn't notice how we act around each other? He's not stupid, Seth. The looks we give each other, how we're always trying to subtly hold hands or something, the loving sideward glances you give me when you think I'm not looking?" Seth froze. _'Wait, he saw all those? How long has he noticed?_ ' he thought while Dean grabbed them some towels, set them by the sink, and joined him under the hot spray of water. "And stop thinking so loud. I can hear you practically screaming in your head 'How long?' Long enough."

They actually took a shower, Seth helping Dean wash coffee out of his hair. When he asked him about it, Dean told him something about a fan who wasn't watching where she was going, he didn't really elaborate. After a few moments, Dean spoke again. "I guess it started when we were in FCW. By then, I realized I wasn't completely straight. I never slept around with guys though. I'm not gay because, hey, I'm still into chicks! But, there was this one guy I just couldn't stop thinking about. We both wrestled, not for the fame, but for the joy of it and to entertain fans. We had a great feud, for the FCW Championship medal, amazing ring chemistry. Whenever we had a match, everything just clicked perfectly, like we were born to do this. Soon enough, we meet one Roman Reigns and the rest is history." He kissed Seth's temple and continued. "You have the most adorable blonde patch in your hair, beautiful, glowing brown eyes, a gorgeous body, that dorky yet amazing personality…" He sighed contently as Seth littered his neck with tender, feather light kisses. Now it was his turn.

"Well, my story takes place a little farther down the road," Seth began. "There was this guy named Dean Ambrose. Total badass, awesome in the ring, bad attitude… Had the impression he ran the place, actually." Dean chuckled at this. "What? It's true! Anyway, soon enough, Roman and us got our big break and signed with WWE, debuting as the SHIELD. Every match, every celebration, every night we spent together in hotel rooms, we got closer and closer. You, me, Roman, we were brothers. Then…" he hesitated.

"The betrayal?" Dean offered quietly. Seth nodded.

"I… I never thought the two of you would forgive me… but you somehow did. We may not be the SHIELD anymore, but we're closer now than we ever were then. And remember two months before that and the drunk kisses?" Dean hummed thoughtfully at the statement.

"I was remembering it right before I *clears throat* took care of you earlier," he admitted shamelessly. Seth blushed while casually raking his fingers through Dean's messy light brown curls.

"Did you mean it, when you said we could see where this went as a couple?" Dean turned to face him, water slowly trickling down his smiling face.

"Absolutely," he whispered huskily, closing the distance between them with a soft kiss that had Seth moaning in an instant. He slowly traced the curves of his boyfriend's (Man, he loved the sound of that. Boyfriend, lover, soulmate. All the words that would've sounded alien to Dean before sounded so perfect now) hips. He pulled them together, steered them towards the walls, and started grinding into him. The sounds they made became louder and louder. ' _Thank God Roman's in the gym right now. He wouldn't wanna hear_ _ **this**_ ' Dean thought as a deep groan escaped from his lips. ' _Dammit_.' Unbeknownst to them, Roman had returned from the gym early, opting to take it easy today and hoping for a nice warm shower. He was puzzled to find two piles of clothes leading to the bathroom and to hear water running. Then he heard the moans. Seth no doubt. The low groans had to be from Dean.

"About damn time you two," he mumbled gladly under his breath. ' _But I'll have to get used to that when they actually tell me they're together. Either that, or I'mma need earplugs if I ever wanna sleep again._ ' He flopped down on the other clean bed, ridding himself of his sweaty tank top while trying to block out the sounds of his brothers' pleasure.


	3. Bonding Behind The Scenes

Chapter Three: Bonding Behind The Scenes

The next few days after that steamy morning were spent catching up on the time Seth spent with the Authority and when Dean went solo. They ate out together, may or may not have done a night of Netflix and Chill, and somehow still had time to spend with Roman. It was during a game of basketball in some abandoned park that Roman asked them.

"When are you going to tell everyone?" the Samoan asked after sinking a deep three. Dean scoffed.

"Give me 3 people we can actually trust with that secret that **doesn't** include Jimmy and Jey. If the Authority found out, they'd write, like, 50 million storylines about it and try to humiliate us. Divas wouldn't want to be anywhere near us. Guys'll talk behind our backs and poke fun at us. We don't exactly have a locker room full of friends. And what about the fans? Two of the three greatest currently active wrestlers WWE has to offer are apparently fucking each other! How does anyone knowing this end well?!" he hissed.

"How do you know people won't feel the complete opposite of what you're saying?" asked Seth, guarding Dean. "There are plenty of gay couples: Xavier Woods and Big E, Sin Cara and Kalisto, us-" Dean cut Seth off by stealing the ball and sinking a fade away over Roman.

"We don't count," he said. Seth had gotten the rebound and was about to take a shot. As he does, Dean, somewhat gently, nips at his neck. The Architect cried out and overshot the goal. Dean flashed him a devilish smirk.

"Ahh! Foul!" he yelled, though his slightly higher than usual voice held no anger. Dean snickered and retrieved the ball. As he tried to make **his** shot, Seth slapped his butt, throwing his aim off completely. Dean yelped and ended up throwing the ball straight at Roman, who caught it and sunk a shot. The Ohioan turned to face his boyfriend.

"Why you little!" he grumbled before tackling Seth to the ground. The two grappled and punched and kicked until they became a pile of laughing tangled limbs. The Samoan sighed and shook his head. If they could barely contain themselves in public and couldn't contain themselves in private, what would they do during shows? Would he have to constantly remind them to keep the touching to a minimum and everything PG-13? Would he have to guard the locker room while they had a quickie in the shower? Would he have to keep them quiet in hotels? His mind was swimming with similar questions by the time they decided to go for lunch.

Seth, being the overly healthy eater, got something from Subway. Dean, being the total opposite, ordered burger, fries, and a milkshake. Roman, who liked a bit of both, ordered something healthy with a pizza. They ate while discussing what was supposed to happen at Wrestlemania since the Royal Rumble was just a Sunday away and everything for then was set in stone. Roman still had to deal with the League of Nations while trying to protect his WWE World Heavyweight title. Dean had to protect his Intercontinental Title and finish his business with Kevin Owens. Poor Seth, aside from looking over his shoulder for the Authority (who he was due to betray at the PPV next month), had to cut a promo declaring he's coming after the U.S. title tonight. He'll have Cena, del Rio, and Kalisto on his case for sure.

"I'm gonna call out Vince tonight, see if I can't rile him up a little before Sunday. If the League comes after me tonight-"

"We'll come as soon as we can," Seth told him in an instant. He glanced at Dean, who was struggling to hold in his laughs. "Not like that! What is it with you and your dirty mind?!" he asked exasperatedly. Roman chuckled softly at that while Dean kept making weird faces at Seth. Dean may act tough, but he's really just a huge goofball. His baby brothers… ' _They_ _bring_ _out_ _the_ _best_ _and_ _worst_ _in_ _each_ other,' he thought.

"Jimmy and Jey, too?" asked Dean, trying to sound semi-serious as he took a bite out of Seth's sub.

"Hey!" he complained before grabbing and finishing Dean's burger.

"Ha! Finally got you to eat something with calories. You'll have to work off that extra stuff now 'Mr. Crossfit Champion'!" Dean teased. Seth raised his eyebrows, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Ya know… you could always help with that…" he said in a tone that turned heads. Roman groaned in embarrassment and facepalmed. What was he gonna do with them?


	4. Moral Support

Chapter Four: Moral Support

A/N: I couldn't stop thinking about the Rumble when I wrote this. I can't believe Triple H! And Dean and Roman were SO CLOSE. Roman vs. The World, Dean in a fight to the death, and Seth can't even compete! Anyway, this is how Seth's turning heel against the Authority should be in, my opinion. It'll probably change by the time he's medically cleared and actually does it, but I'll just go with this.

Seth had called Vince later that night. He told his boss he'd been medically cleared to compete and that he'd make an announcement, (well, a few, anyway) at the start of the show. After hearing that, Vince would accompany Stephanie to the ring to welcome him back. After hanging up, he put his head in his hands. He planned on publicly cutting his ties with the Authority to be with his brothers. He hadn't told them yet, and he didn't plan on telling them either. So now what would he do? As his eyes began to well with tears, he felt strong arms wrap around him from behind. Seth leaned into Roman's touch and sighed.

"What do I do? Vince wants to welcome his Golden Boy back into the Authority with open arms. I'm about to have the world's biggest target on my back. What I have to say is gonna piss a whole lot of people off. The only real good thing I have to look forward to is being back in my hometown with a few less boos from the fans. I just-" Seth was slowly falling to pieces in the Samoan's arms.

"Shh," he whispered, stroking Seth's blonde patch, "It'll be okay. No matter what you have to do tonight, we'll be there for you. As brothers. As a family. Just do what you need to, we won't hate you." Seth sniffled, turned, and buried his face in Roman's wavy black locks.

"*sniff* Thanks, Rome. I love you guys, you know that right? More than anything. More than a title, my paychecks, my-"

"Even more than Kevin?" Roman asked, referring to Seth's Yorkshire Terrier.

"*chuckles* Yes, more than Kevin." Roman kisses the top of Seth's head, then his left cheek.

"Show the world that Seth Rollins is back and better than ever. I'm gonna go find my crazy cousins," he said and left. Seth was so glad Stephanie got him a private locker room. This would probably be the last night he'd be able to enjoy this kind of luxury. After the door closed, the two-toned man turned to find Dean smiling sweetly at him with headphones around his neck singing "Centuries" by Fall Out Boy (who I don't own, just FYI).

 _"Some legends are told, some turn to dust or to gold._

 _But you will remember me! Remember me for centuries!_

 _And just one mistake, is all it will take._

 _We'll go down in history! Remember me for centuries!_

 _Yeah, oh! Yeah! Yeah, oh! Remember me for centuries!"_

Dean was right, it did take one mistake to make history. Him joining the Authority was a mistake. He made history by becoming WWE World Heavyweight Champion. And by going down as the biggest ass kicking prick in the company. There were a few times he questioned his allegiance. Each time he told himself he was doing the right thing, that they would all understand one day. Then he asked himself the same question that plagued his thoughts, "Was it all worth it, for this?". And he'd said no, and he decided. He'd be making history tonight, but he'd make it right this time.

"You and Roman finally back on good terms?" he asked, startling Seth out of his thoughts. Seth nodded, walking over to Dean with a hopeless expression on his face. "Are you ready to go back out there?" His voice was laced with worry, already sensing something was wrong. Seth buried his face in the crook of Dean's neck with his arms around them.

"What I'm about to say, what I'm about to do, is crazy and suicidal. My life's about to become even worse than the living Hell it's been for the past 2 years. I don't know if I can do this…" he cried. Dean pulled away before quickly dragging Seth into a tender love-filled kiss. Those usually managed to calm both of them down.

"Then I'll be right there living through Hell with ya. I won't lose you again, and you definitely won't lose me," he reassured him after the kiss. "And since we've got a little over an hour, we could **both** use some TLC before the show…" he whispered, sending chills down Seth's spine. They could chalk that hour up to 60 minutes of love making all over the locker room.


	5. The Return of Seth Rollins

Chapter Five: The Return of Seth Rollins

A/N: The first part of this chapter was originally at the end of the last chapter, a part one. It didn't feel right to leave it there, so I added it into this chapter. There will be some action in the next chapter, but this one is focused solely on Seth and his return. I originally had Triple H and Stephanie welcoming Seth back, but since this is (To answer KozueNoSaru's question. Thank you for being my first reviewer! I'm glad you like it so far!) set in the present the RAW before the Rumble, it wouldn't make sense to suddenly bring Triple H back. So Vince McMahon it is. It's so good to be able to express my love for wrestling, and Ambrollins, in writing and to be able to entertain people with this story. Now that I'm done blabbing, here's Chapter 5. Disclaim: I'm still just a fangirl who writes FanFiction, so I don't own anything but my ideas/story. *sigh* Unfortunately…

Monday Night RAW

8:00 P.M. in Davenport, Iowa

By the backstage curtain to the entrance ramp…

Seth is nervously bouncing on his toes as he waits for the stage manager to cue him.

"60 seconds Mr. Rollins," he said. Seth nodded with a nervous smile. It disappeared when he turned, seeing Roman and Dean glaring at him down the hall. Checking to make sure no one was looking, Roman gave him a smile and a thumbs up. Dean blew a kiss (smirking, that smug bastard) and winked, making Seth blush like a schoolgirl. The stage manager cued the music guy and Seth's music blared throughout the arena. He spared one more glance at his brothers and stepped through the curtain.

XxX

Seth, Authority Seth, before the injury, would've put on an arrogant smirk and marched down the ramp to the ring. He would've started mouthing off about still being the greatest wrestler in the company (Seth didn't believe the words the first time he was forced to say them, he didn't believe them now) and how he'd find a way to get back the "title he never lost". Technically, he hadn't lost it to another wrestler in a match, but he lost it when he forfeited it due to injury. The **real** Seth wore a nervous smile, carrying a mic, walking briskly to the ring. He expected to see scowls and frowns. All he saw were smiles and drooling girls. Seth, trying to portray the look of a guy turning face, even signed a poster for a group of girls. The camera caught two of the girls fainting after he did. ' _Geez, lady killer much still?_ ' he thought. (He might be a face now, but he was still allowed to brag about himself, right?) He looked throughout the arena at the fans. No open seats. He had expected a chorus of boos, but was smacked with a wall of cheers. He knew they were in his hometown, but **damn**. What happened to hating the sellout of the Authority? The man who broke the SHIELD? The so called future of the WWE? Not that he was complaining (he's not looking **this** gift horse in the mouth). He made it to the ring, stepped slowly through ropes, took a few deep breaths, and started speaking as his entrance theme stopped.

"Man, it's good to be back! Especially in my hometown. How you doing Davenport?!" The crowd replied with cheers and chants of, "Rollins! Rollins!". Seth chuckled. He still hadn't lost his touch. What was he worrying about earlier, again? "To be honest, I didn't expect this reaction. Exact opposite in fact. Don't get me wrong, it is good to be back, I'm just a little surprised at all the positive reactions I'm getting right now." Another chorus of cheers could be heard, making him smile wider by the second. "I'm out here to challenge for the U.S title after the Royal Rumble!" the arena shook with enthusiasm at the announcement. If his brothers were watching, they were probably confused. He had a plan, and this was the first part of it. Just as Seth raised the mic to talk again, Stephanie McMahon's music hit, along with a chorus of boos from the crowd. Seth didn't let his mask slip (phew), but his insides froze with fear. This was the moment, the night he shocked everyone, the announcement he really came out here for. He hugged Vince and Stephanie, preparing for what they had to say.

"Seth… it's good to have you back, and challenging for a title is great. But, don't you want a piece of Roman Reigns to get your "title you never lost" back?" Vince began. Stephanie nodded in agreement.

"You guys gotta understand," he said, "I haven't wrestled in 7 months (let's pretend that's how long he's been out). I wanna work my way back up, prove my worth, get rid of the ring rust, you know?" Vince laughed and Stephanie beamed at his words. _'Just wait,_ ' he thought, ' _the mood won't last much longer._ '

"And that's alright with us. Just know that we know you're ready for anything. But, if you think you need a little more time to get back in the gist of things, we'll respect that. Anyway, we came out here for an announcement as well," Stephanie told him.

"It should've been my son-in-law doing this, but I'm happy to fill in for him. We're here to officially welcome you back to the Authority," Vince announced. The crowd booed with disapproval. Seth sighed with a face that clearly expressed, "You're not gonna like what I have to say."

"*clears throat* That's the, um, other thing I was going to, uh, announce. I'm… I'm not going back to the Authority," said the two-toned man, shocking everyone in Iowa and eliciting cheers and chants of, "YES! YES! YES!" from the crowd. The McMahons were flabbergasted. Most of all, they were outraged.

"After all we've done for you?! We made you Mr. Money In the Bank! Gave you protection, made you WWE World Heavyweight Champion! We made you a part of our fa-" Stephanie never got to finish.

"DON'T YOU START TALKIN' TO ME ABOUT FAMILY!" Seth thundered, furious. "All you ever did was make sure I made you money, made you look good! Life was a living HELL because of you! Death threats, the boos from the crowds, hate mail, making everyone in the locker room _despise_ me!" He took a few breaths to calm himself down, which they didn't, then addressed the crowd. "And I don't blame you all for that. I deserved every one of them for being such an ass." Seth turned back to Vince and Stephanie with renewed rage. "I had a family once. Two big brothers who protected me, stood by me, kept me company, took me in!... Loved me… They were the best thing that ever happened to me. I had everything I'd ever wanted, everything I'd dreamed of and more. Then, you ruined my life. You poisoned me, and I know it's partially my fault. I should've NEVER chose my career over my family-" Now Stephanie intervened.

"That's enough, Seth! Enough! Now, you listen here you ungrateful little-"

"No! NO! I've heard enough of your bullcrap! **You** listen to **me**. I will NEVER go back to you, never trust you, never support the Authority ever again!" His voice went from angry to broken. "And Roman and Dean… I know all the sorry's and please forgive me's in the world won't make it up to you. I miss you two, more than you know… And I _**love**_ you both, more than anything and everything. I'd sell my soul for eternity to the devil to keep you safe! Listen, I know I can't turn back time, but I can at least try and fix all this. Starting with you," he growled, pointing at the power family across the ring. Vince smirked, then started laughing his ass off. "You think this is funny? You think this is all a joke?!" he demanded.

" **Y-You** are going to try and stop **m-me**?!" he guffawed. "You and what army?" As he said so, the League of Nations came from the crowd, surrounding the ring apron.

 _'Oh shit. I'm fucked_ ,' the former champion thought as they stormed the ring.

A/N: Dun, dun, dun! Is Seth done for, or will someone with a heart try and help him? Find out on the next episode of- Sorry. I've always wanted to narrate that part of a tv show, got a little carried away there. Anyway, reviews?


	6. Bringing The Band Back Together

Chapter Six: Bringin' the Band Back Together

A/N: Just wait for it. All I'm gonna say. Also, thank you a trillion times KozueNoSaru and jimbojet2413 for being the first two to fav. and follow this story! I honestly didn't think anyone would care about this story. Thanks to all my readers as well, it's good to know that people like my writing! :D You've probably already guessed what's gonna happen, so here's the inside look.

First it was del Rio. Then came Barrett. Rusev came barreling in after him. Sheamus just watched, calling the shots alongside Vince and Stephanie. Kicks and punches came from every direction. Barrett then hit him with the Bull Hammer. Once down, he was dragged across the ring, away from any ropes, and put in the Cross Armbreaker. Rusev had Seth in the middle of the ring, setting him up for the Accolade, when Dean Ambrose's music hit, then Roman Reign's. ' _They came for me,'_ he thought before blacking out from the pain.

XxX

Earlier backstage…

Dean is biting his fingernails, staring at the tv screen. Seth's nervousness could be felt from miles away. Even Roman wasn't his usual confident self seeing his brother like that. The two watched their baby brother nervously walk to the ring. One he got his bearings, he was strutting around like the normal arrogant bastard he usually portrayed.

"Look man, I know we have to stay in character, but I got the feelin' somethin's about to go down. I'm worried, he's-" Dean whispered. Roman pulled him into an embrace, rubbing comforting circles into his back.

"Don't lose hope in him, he'll be fine," Roman reassured him, not sure if it was more for Dean of himself. "Seth can take care of himself.

" _I'm out here to challenge for the U.S title after the Royal Rumble!"_ Seth shouted through the tv.

"See?" he said, pulling away and patting his brother on the back, "He's fine, look at him. Going after a title already." Just then, a cameraman walked by. Dean and Roman exchange a glance and get into character. Even though they knew the storylines, insults, and words were all fake, it still hurt when they said things about each other. They loved each other, they didn't want to rip each other's limbs off. It broke Dean's heart when, month after month, he and Seth had their rivalry and Seth said the most horrible things. "Put him in a straight jacket and lock him in a rubber room" or "Take him to an insane asylum and never let him back out". It was like stabbing him through the heart and twisting the knife repeatedly until there was a gaping hole there. With as much confidence as the two could muster, they face the tv and Dean says his piece.

"Just because he gets back, he wants a title shot? Cena has a better shot than Rollins on his best day." he said in a slightly shaky voice, but he still sounded like the Lunatic Fringe Dean Ambrose. You'd only hear it if you knew his voice and how he felt about what was going on. Roman could hear it, and he desperately wanted to pull Dean back into a hug and tell him again that everything would be alright. But he had to stay in character.

"It's Seth. What do you expect? Golden boy loves being pampered…" Roman replied as Vince and Stephanie started talking to Seth. Dean, feigning not being interested, was on his phone. He was sending Seth all kinds of texts, like, ' _Dude, what the Hell are you doing?', 'That's not in the script, what's going on?', 'I'm worried man, what's going through that thick skull of yours?', 'Are you trying to get yourself killed?!'._ When Seth told Vince he wasn't re-joining the Authority. He dropped his phone and his head snapped to the screen. Both he and Roman had looks of pure disbelief on their faces. This wasn't the plan, this wasn't even scripted. Unless… Oh shit. Dean tried to made a break for it, but Roman held his arm, shaking his head. "Not yet, we don't know what he intends to do. Calm down." They caught the end of Seth's tantrum before he addressed them.

 _"And Roman and Dean… I know all the sorry's and please forgive me's in the world won't make it up to you…_ "

"No shit, Sherlock-" remarked Dean's broken voice.

"Dean! Watch your mouth, dude."

"Who are you, Captain America? I can say what I fuckin' want, Ro."

 _"I miss you two more than you know. I love both of you more than anything and everything. I'd sell my soul for eternity to keep you safe…_ "

That was all Roman heard before a sob ripped through his younger brother. Tears streaked down Dean's cheeks, taking all his self control to keep himself together. Seth continued.

" _I know I can't turn back time, but I can at least try to fix all this_. *points to Vince and Stephanie* _Starting with you._ "

Roman had never heard so much hate, blind rage, and malice in his baby brother's voice. "Seth, don't. You're gonna end up in a hospital!" he cried, face etched with pain and worry. He turned whiter than Sheamus when he saw what transpired next.

 _" **Y-You** are gonna stop **m-me**?! You and what army?"_ Vince cackled before the League of Nations made their way to the ring. Then they jumped Seth.

"Shit!" Roman screamed as he got a steel chair and headed for a section of the crowd.

"OH HELL NO THEY DON'T!" Dean roared as he grabbed another chair and some kendo sticks while talking to a tech guy. "Hit my music! When I get to the ring, hit Roman's, **UNDERSTAND**?!" The tech guy frantically nodded and did what was asked. By the time he did, Dean's lover had suffered a BullHammer, Cross Armbreaker, and now it was Rusev's turn. "Not on my watch, bitch!" he snarled as he bolted down the entrance ramp, weapons raised and ready to strike. He got a few kendo stick shots on Barrett before Roman barreled through the crowd, leaping over the barricade and unleashing his fury on Rusev and del Rio. Vince and Stephanie were suddenly nowhere in sight. Seth lay prone in the ring, Sheamus hovering above him.

Dean had broken both kendo sticks on Barrett before he stayed down. He used the chair on del Rio while Roman speared and battered Rusev with his. While Roman kept them occupied, Dean turned towards the ring. Towards the Irishman that made his blood boil. Towards his beloved Seth. Seth was bloody in the face, showing signs of purplish and yellow bruises, and not moving. Dean only saw red as he charged the red-head. Punch after kick after after chair shot, Dean took out all his pent emotion on Sheamus. And, of course, not noticing Roman get knocked out at ringside, became surrounded by the entire League. He froze his onslaught and looked around him, chair in mid swing and face devoid of expression. Then his face lit up with a demonic grin that could startle the Undertaker. The next few moments were a bit of a blur.

One moment, Dean is overwhelmed by the Authority's henchmen. The next, he's tasting blood and kneeling beside Seth, who was trying, and failing successfully, to sit up. Roman climbed gingerly into the ring, disturbed to find the whole League of Nations laid out and slightly bloody. The crowd was deafening. Dean had no idea what was going on, only focused on helping Seth sit up before pulling him into a bone crushing hug. After holding on a little too long, Dean helped Roman pick Seth up to carry backstage. When they reached the Titantron, Seth stopped them.

"Wait," he mumbled, face riddled with pain, "Don't forget, we're the SHIELD again." Dean smiled and Roman nodded. Dean held out his fist, facing the crowd, quickly joined by Roman and then a weary Seth. All of Iowa shook as if hit by an earthquake as they heard, "Sierra! Hotel! India! Echo! Lima! Delta! Shield." The Hounds of Justice are back.


	7. Aftermath

Chapter Seven: Aftermath

A/N: So, that's how I imagine that going down. Now, the aftermath. The story's more fluffy than I thought it would be, but I'm glad you guys like it! I can't thank my readers enough for motivating me to keep writing! Disclaim: WWE owns all shows, titles, wrestlers (their tv personas, anyway), etc. I just own my ideas.

Every wrestler and diva not loyal to the Authority stood like statues backstage as the SHIELD came through the curtain. At first, they all stared blankly, not knowing how to react. Then, they joined the crowd in cheering. Slaps on the back, support, encouragement, smiles, hugs, and even kisses were given. The Authority and Vince were nowhere in sight.

"You killed it out there, Uce!" *pats them on the back*

"Ata boy! Tell 'em Seth!"

"You were wonderful darlings. Show them who's really boss around here! *kisses their cheeks*

"If you need us, we've got your back."

Those were only a few of the reactions. As soon as the trio made it past the rest of their coworkers, they went straight to their (Seth's) personal locker room. "The League of Douche Bags is getting fixed up. Don't wanna risk it," was Dean's reason. They knew enough about injuries to know if they needed medical treatment. Dean, who only had cuts and bloody knuckles, cleaned and re-wrapped his hands, and cleaned the blood off his face. Roman was a little worse for wear. He probably had bruised ribs and his back was sore as heck. Seth got hit the worst: a rainbow of bruises littered, basically, his whole body, he had a black eye, and bleeding cuts on his face that made him look like the Red Skull, he couldn't move without wincing in pain, complained about having a headache, and kept holding his ribs. "Why am I the only one helping here?" asked Dean, who was helping Roman tape his ribs while trying to find pain medication for Seth in his duffel.

"In case you haven't noticed," started Roman in an irked tone, "Seth looks like he belongs in a morgue and we can't move without being in pain. What about *winces after wrapping the tape around too tight* the time you decked it out with Sheamus in that steel cage match? Or the night you went through those tables when we first started as the SHIELD? How about when Kevin Owens powerbombed you through that announce table? Either me or Seth were there patching you up every time. You're the one who always got hurt. Time to return the favor." Dean only grumbled protests under his breath as he finished helping Roman and gave all his attention to Seth.

"What the Hell were you thinking?!" he demanded. "Betraying the Authority, challenging for a title, almost getting yourself killed! This was supposed to happen **after Wrestlemania** , not around the Royal Rumble!" Seth tried to interrupt.

"Dean, I had a plan, I-"

"What if we hadn't gotten there in time? What if we hadn't taken them out?"

"Dean! Hold on just a seco-"

"What if they'd gotten you, taken you from us, or-"

"Jon! For once, just shut up and fucking listen!" the Armenian screamed in frustration. That got the brothers' attention. They only ever used their real names when they were being super serious or when they absolutely had to. Dean immediately stopped talking and looked at Seth as if he'd just grown 3 heads. For a levelheaded person, his br- boyfriend (man, he loved the sound of that) sure knew how to lose his cool. Dean certainly wasn't the best at controlling **his** emotions. Roman could keep himself in check until someone pulled the last straw and he had to release his anger. Seth was the one who was supposed to keep his attitude in check. Sure, he threw tiny tantrums every now and then (all the time, basically), but he never had outbursts.

"I was tired, okay?! Tired of getting death threats, tired of being booed and hated everywhere I went, tired of never being able to prove myself without someone's say-so. I was tired of not being able to show just how much you two meant to me. And I was scared I'd never get the chance to…" he choked out, trying to hold back tears that threatened to spill. Roman got up and slowly made his way over to Seth, pulling him into a gentle hug. Dean walked over and joined them.

Dean assured him, "No matter what happens out there, no matter what anyone says, you'll always be our baby brother. Even when our careers are over, even when we turn into old geezers in with canes, walkers, and wheelchairs, even when we go our separate ways."

"We love you, too," the Samoan added, "Believe that."

"Don't worry," Seth told him, "I do."

XxX

The ride back to the hotel was peacefully quiet. Dean, being in the best condition, drove them back (He was actually under the speed limit for once. Usually he was 10-15 miles above it, to save time and because he'd never been pulled over for a ticket. But he actually valued his family's lives and their safety was his top priority at the moment) and somehow managed to carry everyone's bags and Seth into the elevator and into the suite. Roman handled the girl at the front desk who, with some sweet-talking and heart melting smiles, said she'd let them stay an extra day for no charge (off the books). Roman quickly followed his brothers, used his key-card to open the door, and collapsed with Dean and Seth on the bed.

Luggage was everywhere along with shoes, socks, and shirts. No one had enough energy to get up and clean, much less strip down or answer their phones. (Social media sites were so full of tweets or posts about them, they'd all crashed; but not before the 3 had gotten a few thousand messages each (well, Dean not so much since he didn't see the point in social media at all). By the morning, their inboxes would probably be overflowing with angry messages from the Authority and Vince. The vibrating got to a point where Dean just decided to shut them all off. Every time they vibrated, the caller I.D.'s were always the same: Stephanie McMahon, Vince McMahon). The rest of the world could wait. The trio was too busy snuggling under the blankets together in the bed and sleeping to care about much else.


	8. Battle Plan

Chapter Eight: Battle Plan

A/N: Not really much to say, the chapter title itself is self explanatory. After a little bit of brotherly fluff, anyway. Read and enjoy (reviews are cool too).

Roman was so glad he didn't sleep in between his brothers last night. The two had a death grip on each other and had done nothing but worry about the other all night, yet they slept with smiles on their faces. 'Must be some good dreams,' he thought, 'Or maybe they're just… happy.' Roman hoped it was the latter as he slowly rolled out of bed, hissing when he stretched his sore back and massaging his aching ribs. As quietly as he could, he started gathering up all the clothes and luggage strewn around the room. He felt like a nanny taking care of Zack and Cody, but that's what you get for being the oldest brother.

When everything was arranged in a mostly neat pile, Roman decided a shower was in order. It would give those two some alone time when they woke up and give Roman an opportunity to think. No one but Seth knew what would go down last night. How long had he been planning on betraying the Dark Side? Did he rehearse what he said, or improvise as he went? Did he plan on getting attacked by the League? And why did he want a title shot?! He hasn't been in a ring for over half a year, so what makes him think he's even remotely close to being ready?!

Roman stripped down and stepped under the steamy spray of the shower. He groaned in relief as his muscles began to relax and unknot. There were three things, not including being with brothers, that Roman looked forward to after a long show when he got back to his hotel: a soft bed to sleep in, a fancy, satisfying breakfast, and a hot shower to help with his sore, tired muscles. About 20 minutes later, after he dried off and got dressed, the Samoan heard the tell-tale _thump_ and groan of pain from Dean. He had a habit of sleeping on the edge of the bed, (arm dangling down, head about to fall off the pillow, completely oblivious to the rest of the universe) and rolling over when he was about to wake up. That's when he heard the muffled sound of complaint. He snickered. Looks like he took Seth down with him. Roman left the bathroom and strolled over to his brothers, refreshed and in considerably less pain.

"Seth, what're you doing?" Roman asked slowly, taking in the scene before him.

"*growls* I'm **trying** to get my lazy boyfriend to **GET OFF ME!** " he shouted angrily. He struggled to push Dean off of him and cried out in pain from straining too much. Dean's eyes snapped open and he tried his best to move, still hazy from sleep. When he finally did move, he picked Seth up and sat him down on the bed.

"Where does it hurt?" was his first coherent sentence.

"Thanks to you," Seth hissed, glaring, "everywhere! I have the worst head-splitting migraine, bruised ribs (thankfully not his ego), a black eye, cuts that feel like they're on fire, and I'm sore all over." The two of them could tell he was pouting and in pain, so Dean did the only thing he could think of. He told Seth to lay back.

"Why?" the two toned man asked. In one movement, Seth was flat on his back being straddled by Dean.

"That wasn't a request, princess," he growled suggestively, eliciting gasps from his boyfriend, who was trying to catch his breath. Roman thought it would be a slightly R-rated massage. Oh how wrong he was. Slowly and gently, Dean nipped, sucked, and kissed each of Seth's bruises. It was actually more relaxing than it sounds. As soon as Roman heard the first moan, he bolted.

"Nope! No! I'm not gonna have the image of you two-"

"Uh! Seth, stop squirming, would ya?" Dean grunted. Seth's face was confused, but his expression changed and he quickly caught on.

"But I can't help it!" he said fingers gripping and pulling slightly on Dean's hair and making him moan. Roman's face was the shade of a cherry before he could escape the room. The last straw was Seth pulling off his boyfriend's T-shirt.

"I hope you're happy you psychos!" he shouted.

"Aw, don't insult him like that. I'm the Lunatic Fringe, remember? He's the spoiled brat." Dean told him before he slammed the door on them and Seth smacked him upside the head.

Seth asked, "Is he gone?" Dean nodded. "Smart plan by the way. Now we have the room all to ourselves." He pulled Dean down into a fiery kiss. After a minute or two, they broke away for air. "Shower first?" Dean nodded again, carrying Seth, much to his protests that he could walk by himself, bridal style into the bathroom.

XxX

A few hours later…

After everyone had had a shower (Roman kicked the two out of the room after they continued pestering him with dirty remarks and acting as if they were in a threesome relationship. Roman actually got curious when they mentioned that, but quickly pushed the thoughts away after reminding himself he had a wife and daughter at home), they all grabbed breakfast downstairs. Dean, as usual, loaded his plate with a bit of everything. Roman took enough to keep him full and then some. Seth filled his plate with (because he's Mr. Crossfit Jesus) somewhere around 90% actual breakfast food and the rest something healthy. They sat at a table away from everyone else.

"So, what's the plan Mr. I'm Not Re-joining The Authority?" Dean asked after taking a bite out of his makeshift bacon and egg sandwich. He and Roman looked at Seth expectantly. Seth froze, in the middle of spreading jelly on some toast.

"Why do I always have to make the plans?" he retorted. "Can't you guys think for yourselves?" Roman raised his eyebrows and gave him a pointed look. Dean scoffed.

"We'd have a plan if you didn't throw every script we rehearsed out the window because you didn't like what it said. I'm the only who does that. Me and Roman always have a plan, we had one for when you were **supposed** to go back to mommy and daddy last night. And, just because you're a little homesick, you decide to change EVERYTHING. Do you know how pissed they're gonna be next week? I'm surprised our phones haven't-"

Before Dean could finish his sentence, his phone started vibrating in his jeans pocket, Roman's did the same. Seth, unfortunately, wasn't so lucky as his went off loud throughout the café. The awesome sound of Mötorhead reverberated through the air. Everyone turned and stared as he gave an apologetic smile and scrambled for his phone. "Heheh. Sorry 'bout that," he told them, furiously trying to silence his phone. Dean could've swore he turned them all off last night. Huh, guess not. Seth listened to a few of the voice mails left by the McMahons.

 _"Seth, I know you just got back, so you must be confused. You belong with the Authority. I know you'll fix your mistake next week."_

 _"Seth, what were you thinking? Why aren't you answering my calls? Answer the phone, dammit!"_

 _"I will make you and your so called "brothers" pay for this. You don't mess with the Authority and you don't mess with the McMahons."_

 _"I'll make you **suffer**. You hear me, Seth? I'LL MAKE YOU SUFFER YOU SON OF A BI-!"_

Seth emptied his inbox before the messages could continue. Roman and Dean had gotten similar messages, though theirs were more along the lines of, "How could you let him do this?" or "You had this planned all along, didn't you?" or "Don't ignore me! I'm your boss! I can make your job a living Hell, you hear me?!". Dean pocketed his cell, quickly followed by Roman and Seth.

"Okay, fine. You don't have a plan for Monday. Any ideas, big man?" Dean finished. Roman sighed and took a long swig of coffee before answering.

"Well, since the Authority is gonna try and take us out and put us in as much pain as possible, I was thinkin' we rally the locker room to start. They don't like Vince, Hunter, or Stephanie, and they already said they're with us. We'll actually have the numbers advantage again. Seth'll obviously have to say his piece on what he did, and we'll be there to back him up. And Dean" he said, turning towards his other brother, "If you can beat down the League like that every time they-"

"That wasn't me, that was Moxley, which explains why I blacked out before it happened. One minute, I'm surrounded, the next, I'm kneeling by Seth, all out of breath with bloody hands and-" Dean didn't get to finish.

"Woah, hold on! Like alter ego, muse, **other personality** Moxley?! Like back in the indie days Moxley? Didn't you tell us it's bad if he shows up?" Seth asked worriedly. He heard Dean's low laugh.

"Ya know, contrary to popular belief, me and Mox actually get along pretty good. Don't really argue much or nothin'. I've read stuff in your Fanfiction history, Seth. You have the weirdest pairings and the craziest stories favorited." Seth blanched at that. If Dean had looked through his history, then…

"You, uh… you didn't see the stories with-"

"Do you know how long people have been writing about us being together? Since the original SHIELD days. Ambrollins, Ambreigns, Rolleigns, Ambrolleigns, it's all so crazy. That fact that you even read fanfiction... And yes, **that** Moxley, since we're getting off topic. It's only bad if he shows up in the middle of a match, or a promo, in public really. If he's there long term, who knows what he'll do. I don't control him and he doesn't control me. Anyway, Roman?"

Roman, who had heard the whole thing, seemed to be deep in thought. He snapped back to the conversation when Dean nailed him in the face with a piece of toast. He gave him that "I'll get you back" look and continued with his plan. "After we get everyone on our side, we take the fight to them. Pick 'em apart one by one until the Authority's got no one left to protect them. Then, we throw 'em out. Find someone else to run the place." He then managed to get some scrambled eggs in jelly stuck in Dean's hair.

"How do we even know if anyone else'll join up with us? Half them are cowards who'd rather keep their jobs than risk losing them. Remember Big Show and how they had him on a leash? One wrong move and BAM!: he loses his house, he loses his job, he can't feed his family. And it'll be our faults if that happens to them. And throw them out? We don't have that knida power-"

"That's where I come in," Seth interrupted. Roman and Dean gave him a confused look. "Think about it. Champions have a huge pull in where storylines go, how things work, how much people listen to them. We have two of the titles already. So, just imagine if I won the U.S. title."

"We'd have more power with all the titles. Enough to get the Authority to do what we want. We could try and pull a CM Punk and walk away with the titles if they try to tell us what to do. I love the way your mind works, babe." Dean told him. Seth blushed.

"Thanks. And we're using pet names now?" he questioned.

"Guys, focus. So, I need to win the Rumble, Dean has to beat Owens, and you have to get a title shot. Easier said than done if you ask me." Roman deadpaned.

"Where's your optimism? Seth's back, Hunter's MIA, and the League is beat down. We have nothing to worry about. I know you'll win, I definitely know I'm winning my match. What's the worst that could happen?" Dean said. They all thought about that on the way to their next destination. Next stop, Royal Rumble 2016.


	9. There Are Consequences

Chapter Nine: There Are Consequences

A/N: I'm trying to catch up on this week's RAW. I was practicing flute and choir music for our Solo and Ensemble Festival, so my parents wouldn't let me watch the show. I did see the result though. Brock Lesnar's gonna get his ass kicked, just sayin'. And thank you all for over 600 views, you're all so amazing! No one cares about my busy life though, so here's chapter 9, based somewhat off of the RAW after the Royal Rumble.

Roman was still in shock. He had been so close, he'd almost had it. When he heard the sound of Motorhead echoing throughout the arena, however, he was thrown completely off his game. He had survived Vince, the League of Nations, and 28 other superstars trying to pitch him over the top rope. And his undoing is an old man who hasn't been seen since he got his ass handed to him a month ago. (I'm a huge Triple H fan, I don't actually think that at all). Dean **almost** won, but Triple H ultimately got the upper hand and took the title. Vince **had** warned him revenge would come when he least expected it, guess he was right.

"I don't believe this," Roman growled, pacing in the parking lot outside the arena, "I had it. I could feel it, I could taste it, *roars* then fucking Triple H…!" Seth was sitting in the safety of their rental, trying to avoid being a target of Roman's anger. Dean, being the daring, crazy devil he is (on and off screen) chose to try and calm him down.

"Rome, you think you have issues? I'm the one who could've thrown the bastard out of the ring for that title. I was runner up, I was the one who could taste it. You-"

"YOU WEREN'T THE CHAMPION!" he screamed, now facing his brother with a face that would send any wrestler, past or present, scurrying for cover, or at least making them take a step back. Dean, of course, took a step **forward**. Get in your angry big brother's face and expect things to improve. Such a smart idea. "Dean, I'll only tell you once. Get out of my face, _**or else**_." Dean just smirked and replied, "Make me." The two were on the ground brawling before Seth could even get out of the car. When any of them were angry enough, they would brawl with each other to let off steam. Seth was torn between breaking it up and joining in. He chose to scream dog pile and jump on top of both of them, attempting to start a tickle fight. It did solve the problem, Roman was laughing with the other two in no time. They were having trouble talking in between laughing fits.

"S-Seth! What're ya *laughs* d-doing?! You're *laughs* n-not h-helping!" Roman choked out. Dean was enjoying this way too much. He'd, somehow someway, managed to get to Seth's feet, and was tickling him there. Seth was rolling around, trying to escape Dean's grasp and failing successfully. Roman broke away from them and watched the struggle unfold. His brothers had the strangest ways of cheering him up sometimes. This was one of those times.

"Roman! *laughing his head off* Rome, help me! I'm dyin' over here!" Seth shouted as Dean continued his torturing. Eventually, Roman went over and pulled the two apart. They'd wasted a good ten minutes out here and they didn't want to be the last three in the locker room. They wouldn't really be a part of the show until later, though, so it wouldn't really matter either way. Most of the time, everyone was in the catering area, talking in some random hallway (Roman remembered when they used to lurk in the darkest corners of the arena), or going over their lines one last time before the show. Then there were the people with face paint and props. It was a mess sometimes. By the time they got there, Kevin Owens had beaten Dolph Ziggler and The Dudley Boys had won their match against Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel. The locker room was empty.

"Are we still going along with the plan?" Seth asked, directing the question at Roman since Dean had put on his headphones. The Samoan shrugged while taking off his shirt and pulling on his SHIELD vest. Dean was wrapping his hands listening to some Panic! At The Disco song. Seth was looking through his duffel for his gear when he noticed something. Roman had a pair of black gloves on, Dean was using black tape to wrap his hands. Seth had never gotten rid of his old gear, and the gloves were in his bag… "Are we gonna wear our old gear?" Dean looked at him with that face that said "Really?".

"You and Rome can wear the vests all you want. I'm good with the leather jacket and wife beater that doesn't make me feel like I'm in police gear. I tried that in my last movie and I didn't like it." Dean responded. He was humming something in a minor sounding key that seemed somewhat familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"What're you gonna do, Seth? You're not scheduled to fight tonight," Roman told him, breaking his silence.

"I'll be out there at ringside cheering you on. Where else would I be?"

"Somewhere you can't get attacked from behind," retorted Dean, "You're not going out there." He worried over his boyfriend. Most of the bruises had faded and his black eye was barely visible. His ribs still hurt, but other than that he was perfectly fine. Still, Seth, with enough convincing, agreed to stay backstage (somewhere the SHIELD used to lurk when they shot promos in the dark) unless the numbers gain of the League proved too much. Roman's ribs still hurt him a little, but just barely. He was still devastated about the night before, but he would pull through tonight. Dean felt great, aside from his taped shoulder of course. He was energized, he had both his brothers back, and he was still Intercontinental Champion. Their match against Sheamus and Rusev would be a piece of cake.

XxX (Worded slightly different from how the show went down)

The crowd was screaming as Dean took out Barrett and del Rio out at ringside. The brothers were in control and a spear from Roman was what won them the match. To top it all off, the two members of the SHIELD powerbombed Rusev through an announce table, holding their fists out as a sign of unity and victory. Seth was safe backstage, cheering for them with Jimmy and Jey by his side (probably planning a welcome back party or something for later). The night was ending on a high note.

That is, until they heard Stephanie McMahon's entrance music start playing.

Stephanie emerged, slow clapping with a smile on her face. "Impressive, boys, impressive. Now, as you know, my father and I came out here earlier tonight to congratulate my husband on becoming the WWE World Heavyweight Champion, and announce that we'd be making a match for his number one contender. It's going to be a triple threat match, and it's going to be between… Roman Reigns… Dean Ambrose… and Brock Lesnar." The crowd lost their minds after hearing that two SHIELD members could get the chance to be Triple H's challenger at Wrestlemania. Dean could unify the IC title with _the_ title. Roman could get his title back. There's just one problem with that: Brock Lesnar with Paul Heyman in his corner.

Dean's eyes went wide and Roman's eyebrows went up in surprise. The IC Champ vs. The Former WWE WH Champ vs. The Beast. Dean and Roman looked at each other, worried and skeptical. What was the Authority playing at? It's a 2:1 shot against Lesnar and the SHIELD would have the industry's biggest title in its hands come Wrestlemania. They were left standing dumbfounded in the ring as RAW went off the air, Stephanie heading backstage with an evil grin on her face.


	10. You Are Not Alone

Chapter Ten: You Are Not Alone

A/N: The SHIELD is dealing with the news of the triple threat match and constantly looking over their shoulders. They just want to take day and forget about all their troubles. Luckily for them, they will have backup. If it starts getting random-ish towards the end, I'm sorry. I'm in the middle of Adv. Biology right now. Thank you all for over 1,000 views for this story and the reviews, you're amazing! And a huge shout out to KozueNoSaru for being purely awesome and an inspiration for this fic, I appreciate the advice and support! Disclaim: I will never own WWE or anything affiliated with the company until I become a diva sometime soon there. I own no shows or wrestlers.

Needless to say, the boys needed a few days to relax and wrap their heads around everything that had happened the last two weeks. Seth had returned and come back to them, the Royal Rumble had happened and… yeah, that, and Dean and Roman had been thrown into a PPV match with Brock Lesnar for title contendership. Luckily, Jimmy and Jey had anticipated this and had a party planned after Smackdown! that night. They'd mentioned it to Seth while they were with him backstage on RAW. Some beer, movies, music, more of a guys night than anything. He agreed that it'd be good to let loose a bit and have some fun, so the Usos had left and booked a place without another word. That place turned out to be a club, with strippers, a bar, and a dancefloor (complete with a DJ booth). The boys were beyond confused.

"Well," Jimmy began, "the guy said that it would be empty, so I thought I'd book it for a party for you guys. When was the last time y'all could be seen having fun and hangin' with each other in public? I'm doin' you a favor, Uce." Seth gave him a disbelieving stare.

"You said party or a guys night. Beer, movies, hangin' out, not a lot of people. Now you go and book a **club** of all places?!" the Armenian asked him. Roman wasn't so sure about it either, seeing as how he wasn't so comfortable being at a club with girls begging to get into his pants. Dean, however, seemed perfectly okay with this.

"Oh lighten up you two. They've got a point, ya know. We haven't been out in public as just us in **years**. It's just one night, just one. And it's our party, so we can do whatever we damn well please," Dean told his brothers, siding with the twins. Roman sighed and Seth pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to calm down. No dice.

"Grrr, fine. But I swear, if I have to drive you two back to the hotel one more time, I will superman punch you both into next month. Can I not be the sober one for once?" Roman griped. Dean chuckled and looked to Seth, who immediately started pouting.

"What?! No, it's not fair! Why can't I get wasted? I mean, Roman does have a point, but I have rights too!"

"I might be able to drink more alcohol than the both of you combined, but that doesn't mean I'm givin' up drinking tonight to drive your sorry asses back. I wanna have fun too," Dean declared. He had fully intended to stay true to his word. That was before Seth pulled his puppy dog eyes. Those adorable, caring, sadness filled chocolate brown eyes were enough to get the two older brothers to do whatever he wanted them to. Dean could never resist them, so when he turned and ended up looking into them, he growled and tried to look away. _'Nope. No, not gonna happen. You can't make me Seth, you can't make me. I won't fall for it._ ' Some invisible force drew his eyes back to Seth's though, and he caved. "*growls* Dammit, Seth! Alright, I'll try not to drink **too** much…" he grumbled. Roman was supposed to be the responsible one, but lately it had to be him. Sometimes, he wished they could go back to the way things were before all this happened. But if that meant not getting Seth back, he'd gladly keep the past the way it is.

"Who all's coming?" questioned Roman, pulling Dean back to reality. Seth gave him a worried look, but the Ohioan just took his hand and gave him a reassuring smile.

"Us, you guys, some divas, the guys on your side against the Authority, them strippers. It won't be too packed. Party starts after dark," Jey replied.

"Thank you guys for this," Seth said, "We really need this." They all said their goodbyes and headed back to the hotel. Roman planned on relaxing or maybe doing a light workout in the gym. Seth intended to join him, but Dean had other plans. As Roman was leaving for the gym, Dean pulled Seth aside at the door into a heart melting kiss. He had Seth moaning before the two-toned brother could pull away. Roman seemed oblivious to them, not having noticed Seth's absence.

"Can we not be apart for one hour? You know I love you, but I just want to work out for a little bit and get my mind off things," Seth told him.

"I know something else that'll get your mind off things," Dean said in a low, rough voice that made Seth's knees weak, "After all, you don't wanna be all sore and tired after being at the gym, do you?" Trying, and failing successfully to say a coherent response, Seth ended making a noise halfway between a moan and a "No". It didn't help that Dean was slowly grinding against him like some horny teenager. "And I'm not horny, I just wanna show my boyfriend a good time." Well, damn. The younger brother couldn't really argue with that.

XxX

A few hours later at the club…

The Usos were the biggest liars in WWE. It wouldn't be packed, there weren't that many people coming. ' _Not that many people my ass,'_ Dean thought as bodies just kept entering the club. NXT rookies, divas, most of the main roster, and themselves were packed into the club. R-Truth was fighting Becky Lynch for the DJ booth (and losing miserably), Jimmy **had** gotten strippers (for the poor guys like the Social Outcasts or the hot guys that were single), and Dean decided, since he was supposed to stay sober, that he would trade shifts at the bar with Alicia Fox (who kept staring at him through the corner of her eyes). Everyone danced, drank, had an overall good time. When Dean switched with Alicia, he downed half a bottle of whiskey in one go and went to find his brothers. They were dancing on center stage by a few girls (definitely not divas, and if Dean was straight and single, he'd hit on one of them) and looked like they were having a blast. They'd managed to loosen up as the night was ending. Roman gave the girls a look if they got too close and Seth gently pushed them away. One bold girl in particular slid beside him, up close and personal.

"I'm Jennifer," she said. She was a blonde w/ green eyes, 5'9 or 5'10, skinny, and in a skin tight crop top and skirt. She put her hands on his shoulders, swaying with the music. Dean felt jealousy burning within and tried to keep from marching over there and strangling the girl. Seth, who was angry on the inside as well, tried his best to be nice. Stay in character, be the level-headed brother.

"Look, Jennifer, you're hot. Really, you are, but I'm taken." He was doing his best to stay calm and removed her hands gently from his shoulders. She gave him that "Really?" look and put her arms around his neck. That's when he and Dean started to get pissed. "Hey, did you hear me? I'm not single, get your hands off!" She did and left, but another girl who looked just like her, with brown hair and hazel eyes, quickly took her place. He was losing his patience and now more girls were surrounding him, all eager, pretty, and not looking to take no for an answer. Roman seemed to be having the same problem, though one flash of his wedding ring had the girls scurrying. He tried to help Seth, but the girls were either ignoring him or didn't care. Dean had had enough and marched over there with a vengeance. Roman and Seth were wearing what they usually wore in public: Seth had on his skinny jeans and Glamour Killz shirt, Roman had on his dark jeans and Roman Empire shirt. Dean was wearing his ripped jeans, black combat boots, and his signature leather jacket. The only difference was that he was shirtless under his leather jacket and the whole club could see (that and his abs and muscles).

"You wanna tell me why you're messin' with my boyfriend?" he demanded. The girls threw scandalized looks at him and Seth as they left in search of other wrestlers. "You're lucky you're all hot," he heard them say annoyed as they left. Dean turned and pulled Seth in for a long kiss. That's when people started staring. They were drunk, right? They weren't actually… It's like the music just stopped as everyone started murmuring about them. When the two stopped and looked around, everyone was silent, waiting for an "April Fools!" or some other explanation. Dean, somehow managed to find a microphone on the stage, and began talking.

"Well, as you all just saw, me and Sethie boy here are together. No, we're not drunk... Well, a little, and no, we're not gay. We're bi and we're being serious. We didn't tell you because you're acting just like we thought you would. Now that that's out there, are you gonna keep staring or…?"

This is when Xavier and Big E stepped up. (Xavier) "Dude, it's okay. We're together too. Ain't nobody judgin' you." Sin Cara and Kalisto came up next, (Kalisto) "Sin Cara and I have been seeing each other for a few months now, and we're together. There's no shame in that." The others voiced their approval as well, prompting Seth to tell Dean, "Told ya so. They took it good." Dean sighed and continued.

"Shout out to Jimmy and Jey for gettin' this together for us, but let's get down to business." *hands the microphone to Roman*

"As you all know, the Authority is out to get us and we're outnumbered. There are some people on the roster against us, and then there are you guys. We need to know if we can call on you when we need you. We also might need ears on the inside-"

"We call double agents!" piped up Kofi, joining his buddies in front of the stage.

"Heh, okay. The New Day gets to play double agents. Anyone else?" Tamina, Alicia Fox, Naomi, and the Social Outcasts raised their hands. "Our plan, is to secure all the major titles because, as you know, champions have a bigger pull when it comes to storylines and stuff up top. We plan on overthrowing the Authority and keeping any corrupt sons of bitches from trying to run the company. As for who takes their place, that is a secret we'll reveal when the plan succeeds," Roman said.

"What happens with the titles when they're gone?" asked one AJ Styles, " 'Cuz I want a piece of that title, Dean."

"Bring it on, pretty boy. I'll be waiting for ya when we throw them out," Dean sneered. AJ laughed, showing just a bit of overconfidence. "You may be known across the world, but don't push your luck. We'll put the titles up for grabs, we won't hog 'em."

Sin Cara stepped up again. "You'll have our support on Monday if you need us." Others voiced the same opinion. No one but Seth noticed Charlotte and Sasha Banks slipping out the door, having recorded the whole thing, ready to report back to the Authority. After the next few minutes of strategizing were over (Seth having done most of the work) , he checked the club and looked across the streets and downtown. He couldn't find a trace of the girls. ' _Shit_ ,' he thought. They had traitors on their hands.


	11. Instigate

Chapter Eleven: Instigate

A/N: This is probably gonna take a while to post, I'm sorry if it does. I have track practice/meets and music to practice that's keeping me occupied. I'm bingeing on Supernatural too, I'm on season 8, and I NEED to know about the whole Lustiel thing that I've heard about. Don't spoil if you know anything! I'm still trying to catch up to this week's RAW and OMG, Dean, you are such a klutz sometimes! I'm glad you and Roman aren't at each other's throats these days, I bet it's what the Authority wants. Please don't get ripped apart before FastLane, I'm rootin' for you! *continues fangirling for the next 10 minutes before fully calming down* Okay, I'm good now. Personal opinions aside, this is based off the RAW on Feb. 1st (I quoted Dean's speech). Sasha and Charlotte's betrayal will be explained in further detail in later chapters. I've got plans and some evil intentions… Also, a lemon chapter is possible in the future. Thoughts anyone? Some reviews maybe? And, I'll never be able to express all my thanks to every reader, reviewer, and especially KozueNoSaru! You guys are fantastic! Without further adieu, here's chapter 11!

Dean was pacing the hotel room, trying to work out how he'd call out The Beast. Brock Lesnar was a thorn in both his and Roman's sides that hadn't been addressed. Why he was even allowed to wrestled was beyond him. Fight in the UFC, come back to WWE, get his ass kicked, repeat should be on the front of his new shirt. Roman and Seth, despite their best efforts, couldn't calm Dean down. He was racking his brains trying to figure out a strategy to, what Paul Heyman called the 11th Commandment, intentionally provoke the Beast that is Brock Lesnar. Every time an idea came to mind, he always found something that would easily ruin it. Every time that happened, he rammed his shoulder into the wall or punched something within hitting range. Hence his brothers trying to calm him down. By the 8th time, he slammed his fists into the wall and his brothers were beyond worried.

"Dude, stop. You're gonna break your shoulder at this rate, your **good** shoulder. Just calm the fuck down," Roman said, voice laced with worry and using that older brotherly tone. Dean rounded on him.

" _ **Calm down**_? Have you forgotten that we have a triple threat match against Brock Lesnar and each other? Are we just gonna sit here and ignore the fact that we'll be opponents in the ring in a few weeks? I'm trying to figure him out here and I've got **nothing**!" he shouted, frustrated. The skin on a few knuckles looked split and his shoulder looked like it had a slightly yellow tint, like a minor bruise. He couldn't feel a thing though, because: A) He's Dean Ambrose, B) There was too much frustration and nervous, angry, every kind of energy flowing through him at the moment, and C) His mind was still focused on Brock Lesnar.

"That's not everything, though, is it?" It was Seth who spoke in that soft, demnding tone of his. "Is this about that night at the club? Those girls were just-"

"A little about that, yeah," he responded, voice calm and defeated. Roman could never understand how Seth always knew how to calm Dean down. Roman could try to talk to Dean all he wanted in situations like this. The only thing he really achieved was pissing Dean off even more. That never happened to Seth. A brush of his hand here, a quiet question there, those puppy eyes, just being there when his brother was about to lose it, had that calming effect on everyone in the room. "Jealousy, ya know? I tried to ignore it, I knew you could handle yourself. But they wouldn't leave you and Ro alone. They didn't care what you had to say or that you were with someone. I started seeing red when I went over there, but I knew I had to keep myself in check. I just… And then with Charlotte and Sasha! I can understand Charlotte, being Ric's kid and all, yada yada, but Sasha? I know she calls herself a boss and that she looks out for #1, but why? And then tonight. Brock's gonna be at the arena and I need to find a way to approach him. Aggravate him, get him talkin', somethin'. I've got nothing!" he vented.

His fist was raised, about to strike the wall, when Seth caught it mid-swing. He pulled his overwhelmed boyfriend into a gentle kiss. One way to fix a problem with the Lunatic Fringe: get his boyfriend to lock lips with him, it solves everything. Roman felt a twinge of jealousy, wishing his wife and baby girl, his daughter, Joelle, were with him. Alas, not everyone can get what they want, so he settled for face timing his family instead while Dean and Seth continued making out.

Roman smiled at seeing his daughter's beaming face through the screen of his phone. His wife was looking at him like it had been years since they'd seen each other, holding their overexcited daughter in her lap. "Hey, baby," she said, "How've you been?"

"Hi daddy!" Joelle shouted. Roman chuckled at that.

"Hey sweetheart, I'm doing pretty good. It's a little bit crazy down here. Dean's at it again."

"What's he beating himself up about now? Did you do something?'

"No, no. It's about when people found out that he and Seth were together. Then about the show and our PPV match. Seth is… calming him down the usual way he does."

"Oh? Have they started…?"

"Not yet."

(Joelle) "When can I see Uncle Dean and Uncle Seth again?"

"We'll be in town in a few weeks, we'll see you then when I go home."

The conversation continued for the next few minutes before Joelle had to go to bed. By then, Dean had gone back to norm- (haha, no such thing) as close to normal that was possible for him. When they were all calmed down and ready to leave, the boys packed their bags and headed to the arena. Dean and Seth opted to cuddle in the backseat while Roman drove solo up front. The ride was silent, but it was the peaceful kind of silent. Dean's eyebrows furrowed every now and then, sure signs he was still scheming, but Seth's absentminded stroking of his hair kept him from going off.

XxX

Monday Night RAW

8:00 P.M.

It was showtime and it turns out that Dean didn't need to call Brock out. With the Paulrus accompanying him to the ring, Brock strutted down the entrance ramp. Paul started complaining about _his client_ almost being screwed over at the Royal Rumble and then proceeded to talk about what's quote on quote, "Beast for Business". Who does that? When Paul went on to insult him, calling him a nut job, a wacko, and a tra-la-la something, Dean figured he had heard enough and marched down to the ring.

Raising his microphone, he began, "Now before I came out here I told myself, "Self, this may be a really bad idea…" And despite what it may look right now... The way it may look right now, I may look crazy, but let me assure you I ain't crazy and I ain't stupid. And I ain't scared of you." The crowd chatters excitedly as Brock looks around with a gleeful expression.

"Is that right?" he asked with a smirk. Dean ignored him and continued.

"But, I do respect you. I have all the respect in the world for you Brock. That's why I wanted to come out here and tell you face to face, I wanted to tell you, I wanted to look into your eyes, stand eye to eye with the Beast and tell you… I want the title. *Brock chuckles* I want the title so bad, the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, so bad I'm gonna fight my own brother for it. And I'm gonna fight you for it... *gets up close and personal* (in a slightly loony voice) Take me to Suplex City, baby!"

"Oh I will. I will." All throughout the conversation, Brock acted like the whole thing was a joke. He was laughing and smiling like a little boy on Christmas morning.

"You can drop me on my head a thousand times, you can throw me through the wall, you can suplex me over and over and up, down, all around this ring. I hope you're prepared to give me the worst beating, the worst beating that you've ever given anybody in your life. And that's gonna be, that's gonna be pretty bad. But I am the iron man of the WWE. I prove it every single night. And I will drag my broken body to Wrestlemania and I **WILL** TAKE THAT TITLE AWAY FROM TRIPLE H!" he shouted as the fans cheered and Brock continued laughing. "And out of respect… I thought I'd just come out here and tell you that…" His tone was slightly snarky. "Sorry Paulie. Just kinda wanted to see what all the fuss was about," he said turning and dropping his mic and exiting the ring. Paul and Brock were giggling and whispering in the ring like two gossip girls. Dean thought everything was going great, and it was.

Until his tag match with Roman against the New Day.

Roman had just hit Kofi Kingston with a Superman Punch and Dean had managed to take out Big E with Dirty Deeds. The bell had rung and the brothers were victorious. Then, Lesnar's music hits and the New Day ambushed the two. Roman was occupied outside the ring, drawing Dean's attention away from the Beast that was advancing towards him. Before anyone knew what was happening, the Lunatic Fringe was hoisted up onto Lesnar's shoulders and slammed down to the mat with an F-5. All Seth, who had been assaulted by Brock during the end of the match, could do backstage was watch in pain as his brothers were decimated. Needless to say, the trip back to the hotel was **very** painful for all of them.


	12. Retaliation

Chapter Twelve: Retaliation

A/N: I'll try to get this posted by Sunday before the next RAW. If it's late, I'm so sorry! Anyway, this chapter is based off the February 8th episode of RAW. If you saw the episode, you know what's gonna happen. I'm trying to stick as close to the actual shows as possible, but that means there's not as much Seth in the story, and it is an Ambrollins fic. Should I deviate from what's on screen or stick with it? I'd really appreciate some responses in reviews for this chapter! Also, the beginning is not something i know for a fact! This is me assuming one of the many horrible situations he had in his childhood. Everyone knows he had a hard life back then and I really wish it was different, wish he didn't have it so bad, wish I knew some of the truth... But, that's what makes him Dean Ambrose (you can totally tell in some of his more deep promos), I'm thankful we have him. *fangirls over the Lunatic Fringe some more* Sorry! Ramble, ramble, ramble, I'm a fangirl! Disclaim: I STILL don't own WWE or anything affiliated with the company. I'm just a Dean Ambro- *cough cough* I mean WWEFangirl who loves writing wrestling fanfics! *nervous laughter*

Feb.8th

4:00 A.M.

 _Dean is peacefully asleep after a long day at school. He's 16, had just gotten his permit, and had hung out with his friends most of the day. They always skipped their last classes (science and social studies, because who needs them to get an_ _ **actual**_ _job?) and strolled around town to pass the time. Dean's parents, of course, knew when school ended and expected him to be home soon after. Sometimes he walked to and from, sometimes he rode the bus, it depended on his mood. It had been a stressful day that seemed to drag on and on with each class. He basically collapsed on his couch (he couldn't afford a bed) and slept for the rest of the day. He would've been able to, if his mother's boyfriend hadn't come home. He sold drugs with his friends and couldn't control his temper to save his life. Not getting what he wanted put him in a bad mood_.

 _The front door slammed shut, startling the teen awake. In walks a six foot tall bulky man with stubble and a scowl etched on his face. "Another deal gone wrong… Can't believe this…" he mumbled. Dean's mother walked in behind him._

 _"It'll be fine, dear. He'll come around, you'll see-" she said, trying to reason with him._

 _Without warning, he lashed out at her, throwing her against the wall with a swipe of his arm. She cried out in pain while her son cried out in anguish. He'd seen this situation too many times to count. His mother, because of their home situation (her drunk of a first husband), couldn't really keep a stable job. In order to put food on the table, she slept around, wooed a guy, took any abuse that was dished out. She kept Dean safe from her boyfriends. "Mom!" he screamed before his nightmare changed._

 _Dean was 8, had heard about wrestling from one of his school friends, and was playing with an action-figure he'd borrowed when he heard the sound of shattering glass. He rushed downstairs to find his father staring down his mother, bits of broken glass surrounding them_.

 _"Dad?" he asked from the middle of the stairs. Before he could speak again, a beer bottle whizzed past his head, smashing against the wall behind him. His mother was outraged._

 _"Are you_ _ **trying**_ _to kill our son?! What is wrong with you? Why have you been acting like this? We have a good life here! A son, a job, a home," she told him. The two were walking towards the eight year old, still arguing. He had grabbed another bottle and was aiming at Dean again before his mother slapped it out of his hands. He started hitting her and she started hitting him. Soon enough, he had her overpowered and she was knocked to the ground as he rounded on his son. As he raised his fist, she threw herself in front of her son. "You strike either one of us and we walk," she threatened._

As the memories began fading, the rest of his miserable life, up until the day he got a job for an indie wrestling promotion, flashed before him before he sat up suddenly, breathing heavy with eyes wide. His usually bright blue eyes darkened and his soft, rebellious gaze grew hard and cold. He hadn't had nightmares since FCW, there wasn't any reason to have any now. When his painful past caught up to him, Moxley came out to deal with it, protecting him like the older brother he always wished for as a child. They weren't like siblings that argued at every turn, they were like ones that did everything for each other. Unfortunately, most people didn't see it that way.

"Mmm… Dean?" Seth mumbled, woken by his distressed boyfriend, "What's 'm matter?" He turned to "Dean", took a second glance, and scrambled backwards, falling off the bed. Roman grumbled in his sleep and turned. Moxley chuckled.

"Ya know, pretty boy, those fanfictions you're so fond of reading aren't accurate. AT ALL. I don't hurt Dean, we don't argue, and I won't hurt you. Don't freak out," he growled, cross with Dean for waking him up at 4 FUCKING A.M. He hopped out of bed and offered a hand to him. Seth, skeptical at first, hesitated. One look into Moxley/Dean's eyes changed his mind as he took his boyfriend's hand. "See? Perfectly safe."

"Mox, it's 4 in the morning. What are you *yawn* in control of Dean for? And why were you going through my history?" he asked quietly, never taking his eyes off of him. Moxley sighed.

"Did he ever tell you about his nightmares?" he said. Seth's puzzled look told him all. "*sigh* He never had the… easiest apple pie life childhood most people have sometimes. He'll tell you if he wants, but let's just say that his past, it involves abuse, smokes, drugs, the whole nine yards in Crazyville. It was… my job to... take over whenever he was majorly distressed, angry, in deep trouble. Like when he was surrounded by the League of Nations the night you came back."

"Are you two lovebirds gonna clue me in on the conversation?" questioned a Samoan's voice, deep from sleep. He looked between his brothers. Dean's… aura of sorts, was different. A little colder, a little more closed off, a little less warm, a little less… Dean. "Mox, what's up?"

XxX

Contract signings. They're known to be controversial, hectic, tense. This was very much the case with the FastLane contract signing on RAW. First, Stephanie had Roman and Dean sign the contract, then Brock. All was perfectly fine. Then Dean's attitude got the best of him. He got right up into the beast's face, just begging for a beating. A flipped table, one beaten down Samoan, and an F-5 later, Dean got his wish.

Later in the locker room…

"I won't stand for this," the Ohioan grumbled, "He thinks he can F-5 me and get away with it? Oh, he's got another thing comin'." Dean paced back and forth, fists clenched and muscles tensed. "I'm gonna call him out and take him down Ro, I can guarantee you that."

"And just how the Hell are you gonna do that?" Seth asked, "You can only take so much, Dean, even someone like you who puts their body on the line until they black out! Can you be at least somewhat sensible for once in your career?!" Dean's face was blank for a few seconds, and then he smirked while he finished wrapping his hands.

"Dean isn't the one not being sensible." Seth froze before he tried charging Moxley. Roman, however, held him back. Seth wouldn't have it, struggling against his eldest brother's grip. "Stop tryin' to kill me, he said I could hang around for the show."

"Why, because he wasn't in the mood? Because you wanted to take over and just have a, a joyride?!" the infuriated man screamed.

"Hey, take it easy Seth. I don't like it either. Dean just needed to take a day." Before Seth could get a word in, Roman continued. "Look, like it or not, Dean's tired and he's hurting. Mox is the guy who deals with that. I want Dean to be around too, but everyone has their days. So let it drop and you and Dean can argue about it like an old married couple later." *pats him reassuringly on the back* Seth grumbled, but didn't complain further. Roman and Moxley/Dean finished gearing up and made their way to the curtain to the entrance ramp. "Now, you're sure you know what you're doing? If you get Dean hurt-"

"There's a 100% chance that he **will** get hurt. It's Brock Lesnar for God's sake. I'm just putting on the show and absorbing the blows. He won't feel it until he's back, don't worry."

"That supposed to make me feel better?" Roman asked as Dean's music hit and Moxley strolled down the entrance ramp and into the ring.

"Hey Brock Lesnar! What do ya call that? What was the game out here earlier? Was it an F-2, an F-3? It certainly couldn't be an F-5. I thought that the F-5 was supposed to hurt!" The crowd goes "Oooh!" at the start of his roasting session. "I mean I thought the F-5 was supposed to keep me down. Supposed to crush me and conquer me. It's like I said: Brock Lesnar can't keep me down, Brock Lesnar can't kill me, Brock Lesnar can't get the job done! Hey Brock, why don't you come out here and try again and this time, put some stake on it?!" The crowd continues going crazy. "Brock Lesnar has gone soft, that sounds like a personal problem. What's the matter Brock, can't get it up for the big fight? *does some... less than respectful actions* Then I guess Paulie didn't give you any permission. Now I knew Paul Heyman was your advocate Brock, but I didn't know he was required to hold your balls!... BROCK LESNAR-!"

The Beast had finally had enough and had come, followed by Paul Heyman, out to fight. Dean was bouncing on his toes and Brock had that malicious smile on his face. Dean, well, Moxley in this instance, went right after the Beast Incarnate, pouncing and throwing a flurry of punches. Brock, using his strength to his advantage, rammed "Dean" into the side of the ring. He assaulted him with knees to the gut and then tossing him effortlessly into a barricade. Moxley is dazed and barely stirring when Brock threw him into the ring. He struggled to stand only to be plowed down by a nasty clothesline. Mox was trying to use the ropes to get up and when he did, stumbled forward a bit before suffering yet another clothesline. He's holding his head, crawling towards Brock as the crowd begins to cheer "Suplex City! *clap clap clapclapclap* Suplex City!" Heyman's client then proceeded to deliver another F-5 to Dean Ambrose. Much to Brock's chagrin, however, Dean began to stir, beckoning Brock back to the ring.

Just as Brock's about to dish out more punishment, Roman Reigns' music hit. He'd seen enough backstage and was about to get even with the man destroying his brother. As he marched down the ramp, he distracted Brock long enough for Dean, who came to and retook control of his body when he heard Roman's music, to land a low blow from behind. He limped out of the ring, and collapsed on the entrance ramp. "Told ya," he said to Roman.

"You're crazy. You're crazy, but you did, you did," his brother said as Dean howled in pain, clutching his ribs and staring at the wounded Beast, still crouched inside the squared circle. There's no doubt that Fastlane will be a warzone. Thankfully, the brother's will have each other's backs. They couldn't help but wonder whether there'd be consequences next week, but frankly, they didn't care. Tonight was considered a win.

Closing A/N: Some of the lines I quoted are probably off, I had a little troubling figuring out what Dean said at the beginning of his roasting session. I've always wanted a story where Dean's other personality wasn't an evil a-hole. I won't feature him much unless you guys want me to and he gets positive feedback. Anyway, tonight's RAW (this'll be posted on Tuesday morning, but I'm writing this during RAW right now) to start is just RHAAA! They would give Owens back the the title! Of course, as storylines go, that most likely means Dean is winning at Fastlane, but that's just speculation… Sorry, upset fangirl writing here. So, reviews?


	13. Not All Is Lost

Chapter Thirteen: Not All Is Lost

A/N: This chapter is based loosely off of this week's RAW, just references to what happened, but it'll fit in with the plot… ish. This'll probably be kind of a filler chapter, but it'll explain some minor plot details. I'll try to keep this batch of author's notes short and sweet since last time was, um, yeah, long. Sorry… So, let the story continue!

Well, that could've gone better. Putting Dean in a Fatal 5 Way match for his title last night was one thing. Practically **throwing** it to Kevin Owens because the Authority can't stand Dean was another. He had the match, he was about to hear a three count, he would've won. What's worse is that rookie, Tyler Breeze, ruined everything by losing! What's done is done though, he'll get his revenge at Fastlane when he becomes number one contender for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Or, Roman could win the match and get his revenge on Triple H at Wrestlemania. Either outcome was a win for the SHIELD, so it didn't really matter to him. Okay, maybe a little since he'd never actually been the champ, but still. Dean was currently cuddling with Seth, who was reading fanfiction, while Roman had gone out to get lunch. Dean peered around his boyfriend and read the screen with interest.

" _Slowly, the two got closer and closer until, finally, their lips met-_ "

Seth quickly minimized the tab before Dean could read anymore. Dean raised an eyebrow at him, clearly amused. Fortunately, Roman chose that moment to send a text. ' _u guys want chinese or pizza?_ ' He showed the text to Dean, who shrugged his shoulders and began playing with Seth's blonde patch. Seth replied with ' _chinese, the usual'_ and went back to reading, opting to skip that part until Dean snatched his phone and hopped off the bed.

"Dean! Give it back! Read on your own damn phone!" he complained. Dean was smirking with a fake look of hurt on his face.

"C'mon babe, do you not trust me? What secrets could possibly be on here? What don't you want me to see?" he asked, scrolling to the part Seth was on. ".. _.their lips met, melding perfectly together. It was like an explosion of fireworks. All the feelings he had to keep hidden came bursting out. Longing, relief, fear, happiness, lust, love. Seth couldn't be happier as Dean reciprocated the kiss instead of pulling away in disgust as he expected him to. A dream come true in his book. He only wished it could last forever as the two reluctantly pulled away for breath, only to dive back into it again for another kiss_ …" He pondered this for a while. Seth only ever read stuff when he found a good book, got a newspaper, or found something he related to. Did that mean…? Before he could ask, Seth had snatched his phone back and closed the tab.

"I didn't want you reading that for a reason… I didn't want you to know about that…" he confessed quietly. His boyfriend slowly made his way over to him, wrapping his arms around him and pulling him into a slow, gentle kiss.

"You know I won't make fun of you, and I don't think any differently of you. If you want me to know how you feel, all you have to do is tell me. *hugs Seth* Why do you read that stuff anyway?"

Seth sighed, but answered with, "At first, it was to see what the fans thought of us and the rest of the locker room. If they wrote stories about us hating each other, us being friends, AUs, OCs-" He stopped when he saw the confused look on Dean's face. "Alternate universes and original characters. Now, it's kind of an addiction..." he explained with an innocent smile on his face. Dean scoffed and let go of Seth, playing with his hair again.

"Sometimes I wonder if you write that stuff the way you talk about it."

"If I had the time, I would. Between wrestling, traveling, and being with you and Rome, it wouldn't be easy. If I could though, I'd put the real story of how it was when we were apart, how everything was before, how everything is now. I'd want people to know. Not that they'd know it was me writing…" They were quiet for a minute before Dean spoke.

"Why are we even talking about this? We should be doing something, not getting all touchy-feely here!" Dean declared, trying to change the subject and lighten the mood. He didn't object to Seth's idea, just thought it'd need a lot more time and work and some input from Roman. Seth put his phone down on the bedside drawer and siddeled up next to his boyfriend. He brushed his lips up against Dean's.

"What did you have in mind?" he whispered, hand sliding down from the back of Dean's head to around his waist. Seth pressed up against him, making both of them moan, as Dean lead them back towards the bed. The two were eagerly stripping each other of clothes, kissing every bit of exposed skin they could reach. Dean grinded relentlessly against him, trying to show just how much he wanted this. Seth got the message, hands fisted and gently tugging Dean's curly locks, making the older brother groan. They were both shirtless and panting, Seth somehow managing to flip Dean over to straddle him, clearly wanting to top this time, when Roman strolled in carrying three bags of Chinese.

"Holy shit!" he exclaimed, nearly dropping the food in favor of shielding his eyes, "You couldn't warn me before I got here?!" He'd seen his brothers naked before, that wasn't the issue. The issue was that every time those two were together and ended up taking their clothes off, it was most likely to fuck. Roman really didn't need that image stuck in his head. In fact, he would consider joining them if he didn't have a family at home that he loved almost more than anything. Great, now that image was stuck in his head. It wasn't a bad one, but still. Dean rolled out from under Seth, grabbing their shirts. He tossed Seth his and pulled on his own.

"Cockblock," he said as he reached for his food. Seth tried to hold in a laugh, failing successfully, as Roman whacked Dean over the head. "Ow! Dude, what the heck?"

"I really, REALLY don't want to think about you and Seth going at it every time I'm gone. Can't you act your age instead of like horny teenagers? For once?" No one answered as they all dug into their food, Roman mostly picking at his, claiming to have lost his appetite.

XxX

In a nearby café…

Sasha and Charlotte had agreed to meet with Triple H and Stephanie. They had struck some sort of a deal. Be their spies and report back to them and they would stay in the title picture, virtually untouched. Charlotte wasn't that worried, seeing as how her father was her boss' mentor and could pull a few strings to get her what she wanted. Sasha, on the other hand, jumped at the opportunity. She didn't doubt her abilities one bit. She'd worked hard to get into the WWE, and had earned her spot on the roster. She was the Boss, the best diva out there. And if she got to the title a little quicker than others? She'd been given an opportunity, so she took it rather than risk angering the Authority. Besides, in the end, she'd be on top because she had a plan. A plan that no one, not the Authority, not the rest of the divas, and certainly not Charlotte, would see coming.

Stephanie and Hunter spotted the two and made their way over to the table. "I'm so glad you ladies could make it," Stephanie said, addressing the two, "My husband and I are so glad you didn't waste this chance. You're doing what's best for business, I assure you. So, what've the boys been up to as of late?" Charlotte began by explaining the club situation: what was going on, how many superstars and divas were there, who they were. Sasha finished it up by explaining the plan Seth and his brothers had come up with. She left out the part about Seth and Dean being together, not yet knowing where her loyalties should lie. Charlotte showed the video of what the SHIELD was planning, how Seth was arranging pretty much everything (using a few tips and ideas from the others occasionally) and how on board everyone else was with the plan. If they weren't careful, they'd have a full scale rebellion on their hands.

"Excellent job, ladies. Keep us posted and we'll see you next week," Hunter told them, holding his arm out to Stephanie, who took it and let him walk her back to their hotel. Sasha and Charlotte opted to stay and order something. Ever since they'd agreed to help the Authority, they had grown closer. They were good friends now, talked everyday, hung out when they could, told each other secrets. They'd do anything for each other, even if they weren't the best of buds in the current storyline. At the moment, they were discussing their picks to win at Fastlane. Charlotte had selected Brock, saying his aggression and Paul Heyman at his side were just too much for the boys to handle. Sasha had picked Roman, saying he could take on Brock any day of the week, having done so before, and could easily overpower and trick Ambrose. Knowing his lineage and what's happened as of late, he was destined for greatness one way or another.

"Wrestlemania then. Who do you think will be champion?" Charlotte inquired. Sasha gave her the expression that said, "Well…".

"You obviously will retain yours. Brie has nothing on you, no one does. As for the WWE title, I'm not sure. Guess we'll have to wait and see. I honestly couldn't care less who won. As long as we're at the top, right?" Sasha responded.

"Cheers to that," Charlotte said, raising her soda to Sasha's. ' _If only she knew what was coming_ ,' the Boss thought, putting on her fake smile for just a bit longer. She liked Charlotte, really, she did. But in the end, you gotta look out for number one. And that's exactly what she was going to do.


	14. The Light At the End of The Tunnel

Chapter Fourteen: The Light At the End of the Tunnel

*RAMBLE ALERT RAMBLE ALERT*

A/N: *sigh* Fastlane was just about how I expected. My pick never wins in the big matches, it's the minor matches I get right, and my favorite always loses. I haven't guessed any PPV results even remotely close to right in years. Sometimes, I miss the old WWE. A little more blood, a little more action, lots of excitement, I couldn't guess every move that was about to happen in a match like I can these days. It was way less mainstream years ago. Not that I don't think Hunter does a good job at running the company, he does amazing! I just miss some older elements of the show. Then again, Vince ran WWE back then, most of my favorite legends either still wrestled, nearing the end of their careers, or were retired and made a few appearances, blood was allowed, profanity and making every line sound dirty w/ certain wrestlers was still allowed and strongly encouraged (*cough cough* DX! :3), etc. Words can't describe how I feel right now. Dean Ambrose has LONG DESERVED a WWE World Heavyweight title shot. He's proven over and over he's worthy and that he is ready (no pun intended Hunter, ha!). I love that Roman's getting his revenge, but still… Since when did wrestling have to fit in with other tv programs? I'm so sorry, I'm boring you to death today, AGAIN. I'm just trying to be honest, but my thoughts don't belong in author's notes. They'll affect the story because I try not to write like I'm picking favorites (But let's face it, my username tells it all. Or you can visit my profile. Formerly known as the DX-HeartBreakAngel before my SHIELD fangirling began) or making the plot too opinion based. And this is piling up my word count and adding absolutely nothing useful to the story, so let's chalk this chapter summary up to a chapter taking place after Fastlane and Monday Night RAW with the brothers dealing with everything that happened; Brock putting Dean in the hospital, Roman and Triple H, the whole Shane vs. Undertaker thing that I don't expect to happen, ya know. Also, was ANYONE expecting Shane McMahon to come back?! Rambling! Thanks to all of my readers for caring enough to put up w/ me and this story (my story and I, whatever) when you could be doing so many other things, I appreciate it! I don't own anything but my ideas, Brock Lesnar sucks, yada yada. And now this is just a whole beginning of a chapter listening to me complain. Sorry! Thanks again to all my readers for caring about this story when you could have other things to do, I appreciate it! Here's chapter 14.

Fastlane. It was, well, a victory of sorts for the SHIELD. Roman had pinned Dean fair and square, that was certain. If he had been a little less focused on Brock… Oh well. The important thing was that they were still brothers, they still had each other's backs, and would still support each other on the road to Wrestlemania. At least Brock wasn't anywhere near the title, that was definitely a win. Seth had begged creative to put him in the storyline somehow, but, due to orders from upstairs, they were forbidden from doing so. He was being considered for the post Wrestlemania storyline involving the title though. (Then there was the whole Shane McMahon fiasco. The boys agreed they'd rather have Shane than Vince and the power couple any day. A 'Mania match though? Against the Phenom himself? Dean looked up to the man, the legend. His style, his attitude, his streak, his reputation, and, most of all, what he stood for. He was a symbol of power, strength, fear, respect, honor, courage. But SHANE beating him at Wrestlemania for ownership of the company, or part of the company, or whatever he agreed to with Vince?! Shane running RAW, however, meant major changes to how the place was run. Well, hopefully anyway). Roman would be celebrating if his brother wasn't stuck in a hospital wearing a neck brace. How he commandeered an ambulance was beyond either of the other two. That was one thing.

How he broke out of the hospital was another thing completely. At least, it was to Roman. Seth had been fidgety ever since he'd picked Dean up, claiming to have gotten a text from him saying the hospital was letting him out. The oldest brother didn't believe him for a second. Roman had been about to go out and pick up lunch when Seth pulled up in Dean's black Chevy Camaro. Dean loved that car, it was like his baby. He didn't trust anyone with the keys, not even Seth. They were always on his person. When he saw Dean get up and stand at the door of the passenger's side, he was even more convinced. Only Dean drove his Camaro, so why was Seth driving?

"Dean? What're you doing out of the hospital? You were in a neck brace less than a day ago and they're letting you go?" Roman questioned, using his brotherly tone to get a satisfactory answer. Seth answered as Dean opened his mouth.

"He texted me earlier saying they were letting him go. I don't think they could handle a stressed out, pissed off Lunatic Fringe who raised Hell everywhere he went," Seth replied for him. Dean just went with it, nodding his head and trusting the Architect to get them through this. Roman was skeptic, knowing that wasn't the whole truth, but not pushing the issue. Seth walked over to him while Dean stayed rooted to the spot, looking unsure of what to do. He locked eyes with Seth, whose face was a mask of worry. Seth knew Dean wasn't well enough to get out of the hospital yet. He believed the text and drove there anyway, going up to his lover's room to find him struggling to stand up and gasping for breath. Dean had practically gone down on his knees (well, he was like that when he found him) and begged and begged and made promises if Seth took him back to the hotel. Seth, not being able to say no to Dean in this state, agreed and half dragged, half carried his boyfriend to the car. Though there were a few funny stares and looks thrown their way, Seth was able to check Dean out of the hospital without raising too much suspicion. Now, here they were, Dean knowing he couldn't stand on his own and Seth worrying he would try.

"*chuckles* C'mon, Dean. What're you just standing there for? Get over here," Roman said. Dean gave a pained smile and tried to take a step. Success. He took a few more slow steps before his legs gave out and he collapsed against Seth. Getting thrown through the windshield of a limousine was not something you recovered from in a day. Before Roman could say anything, Dean quickly interjected, "Doc said take it easy for a few days before I move too much. Everything's gonna be sore and they said I should just relax and recover. But I'm fine." To try and prove his point, he pushed himself off of Seth and limped his way to the front door of the hotel. He turned back to his brothers. "Coming?"

Seth replied, "Yeah, hang on!" As he began to follow Dean, Roman grabbed his arm and whispered to him, "I know you're lying. He should be in a body cast right now. I'll get the truth out of you later." Seth gulped and nodded, quickly catching up to Dean before he could try to get to their room by himself. He'd somehow managed to get the elevator, without having to crawl and drag himself, leaning on the walls for support holding the door open for Seth. He holds out his arm in the "after you" gesture, and Seth files into the elevator. When the door closed, Dean pressed the button for the 11th floor, blowing out a huge breath while doing so.

"Roman's onto us, isn't he?" Dean huffed, still struggling to stand up on his own. Seth wrapped his arms around Dean from behind, resting his head on his boyfriend's shoulder and replying, "Uh huh." He takes one of Dean's arms over his shoulder and helps him walk to their room. After a minute of fumbling through his pockets, Seth pulls out the room key and unlocks the door. When they make of inside, both of them collapse in a heap on the bed. Dean began snuggling into Seth's chest before the black and blonde man sat up and turned to him. Dean mumbled a complaint before sitting up with him.

"Now, are you gonna tell me why you wanted to be out of the hospital so badly? Don't say because of the white walls and being stuck in a bed, because everybody hates that. Before we were together, the only reason you'd stay was because you got the hot nurses." Dean laughed at that.

"Okay, you got me there. *sigh* ...I wanna get my hands on Brock. That's a given. But I also didn't want to be stuck here while you and Roman go kick some ass halfway across the country. I don't wanna have to watch you guys on tv when I could be out there with you making a statement and-"

"Dean, stop," Seth commanded, cutting him off. "Have you seen yourself lately? You can't hardly walk and almost every time you've been on RAW, Brock has done something to beat you down. A suplex, F-5s, throwing you into the ring steps or the barricade. I… I can't watch you get killed every night you're out there. I j-just can't! I won't let anything else bad happen to you!" he yelled, shaking Dean's shoulders and trying to get his point across. "Brock would have to drag me to Hell and chain me down there before I let him put his hands on you again." Dean took his hands, looking him straight in the eye.

"And if you're there, that gives Brock a bargaining chip against me. Everyone knows we're super close. None of them know how close, but some people suspect that we're together. Paul Heyman probably thinks that we're a couple and told Brock to target you if you're around. You're so worried about me, are you even thinking about yourself? I don't need to worry about myself, but I don't wanna have to worry about you. *cradles Seth* You're all I have, I can't lose you."

"You won't babe," Seth reassured him, "Believe that."

XxX

Roman is getting Chinese for the boys at the local takeout joint when he sees a certain fuchsia haired diva walk by. He beckons her over as he finishes paying for the food. "You've got two minutes to explain why you and Charlotte up and disappeared at the club a few weeks ago. Start talking," the, hopefully, soon to be new champion said. Sasha took a deep breath and grabbed a dumpling from her bowl.

"I wanna be divas champion, plain and simple. I'm trying to see who's side to take. The Authority could take me to the top nice and quick… but I'm not one to take the easy road. I wanna earn my title, but Becky's in my way. Charlotte could take care of that for me, or I could deal with it. You guys are fighting for a good cause, 'cuz I don't exactly worship the "power couple". I'm not on a side right now," she declared. Roman saw what she was doing. See what each side offers, see where loyalties should lie. Huh, smart move. She could learn secrets from each sides, play double agent for a while. But who would she be the double agent for? That was the only concern Roman had.

"So what're you gonna do?"

"Tell you what, I'll help you guys with inside info. I have to tell the Authority things about the SHIELD though. I'll play for both sides. Who's side I'll choose in the end is gonna depend."

"On?"

"Which side is winning the war and how close I am to being champion. Charlotte doesn't know, it's just me doin' this. And it's gonna stay that way."

Roman sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why're you doing this?"

She scoffed and rolled her eyes over dramatically and said, " 'Cuz I'm the Boss. And when I want something, I find a way to get it. Ha! _Believe_ **that** , big man!" With a playful tap on the shoulder she strutted out the door, leaving Roman trying to figure out what to do and what to tell his brothers.

"Why can't people make up their own catchphrase? Why do they have to steal ours?"


	15. Bittersweet

Chapter Fifteen: Bittersweet

A/N: My life is busy as heck right now, so updates might be slower than usual the next few weeks. Except for this one! Posted before Smackdown! tonight, WOOOO! (Heh. Bit of Ric Flair/Sting there…) A few people have been confused about Roman and his sexuality, how he views his "brothers". This ought to clear that up a little. This chapter is based loosely off the last episode of Smackdown! and the leap day episode of RAW. Thanks to everyone who reads, reviews, and follows/favs this story, you're all amazing! Disclaim: (from Angel, one of my muses) I don't own anything but my story, but I will someday when I become a WWE diva and assassinate Trip-

(Tsunami, my other muse): She **means** when she's champion and has a right to say ANYTHING. Time for our story! *smacks Angel upside the head*

Angel: Ow! I'm just being honest! I'm Hunter's biggest fan! But he's being a huge douche right now. I feel like stealing one of Ezio's hidden blades and sticking it up-

Me: Can y'all shut up and stop arguing for ONE batch of author's notes?! This is why you don't get to talk and disclaim that much! *sighs and composes herself* Sorry, they're twins, and my alter egos. I swear, it's like dealing with the celestial being versions of Zack and Cody sometimes. Anyway, here's chapter 15.

Dean and Seth were sitting in the waiting area of yet another hospital. The black and blonde haired brother was ready to skin Hunter alive for ambushing Roman. **No one** went after their family and got away with it. (Unless you count the period of time when Seth was with the Authority. He wasn't, because he wasn't in his right mind. AT ALL.) Surgery. Would Roman end up like Cody Rhodes did a few years ago? Wearing a face mask, constantly having to be careful and aware of everything in and out of the ring? They certainly hoped not. It'd mess up the fact that each member of the SHIELD looked pretty hot if they did say so themselves, **especially Roman** (much to the opinion of his many fans and fangirls).

"You think he'll be *yawn* alright?" Seth asked, having just woken up from being asleep after a few hours of sitting in Dean's lap.

"Of course he will! It's just a hit to his nose. It'll take a lot more than that to take the big man down," Dean said with unwavering confidence. Seth was star-struck by how determined Dean could be, wondering what he'd done to deserve the most perfect soulmate. As he finished that thought, a doctor came into view.

"He's awake now. You can see him," the doctor told them, holding a clipboard under her arm and ushering them towards Roman's room. The man in question was sitting up, beaming like he'd just been crowned champion again, and happily entertaining his wife and daughter. The boys' worries disappeared when they took in the scene. Roman telling a story to his family, all their overjoyed faces; there was no way Roman wouldn't recover in a heartbeat. He looked past his wife briefly and locked eyes with each brother, conveying his emotions clearly to them. Joelle turned around and squealed with delight at the sight that met her.

"Uncle Seth! Uncle Dean!" she squealed, running to embrace them both. Dean scooped her up for a hug, Seth hugging her after Dean put her back down.

"Oh! How have you been? You got bigger!" Dean said excitedly to her. He was such a softie when it came to her. It was moments like this when the brothers fell back in love with him. Not just Seth, but Roman as well. Roman wouldn't ever admit this to just anyone, but he wasn't completely straight. When he saw his brothers together, kissing, touching, showing how much they loved each other, he felt pangs of jealousy and desire. He didn't love anything more than Joelle and his wife, but he wished he could show Dean and Seth how much he loved them as well. It's kind of hard when you've got a family at home to be there for. Galina (his wife) could sense her husband's inner, minor, distress.

"What's wrong honey?" she said in her "I'm here for you" tone of voice, "Hey boys, why don't you go catch up with Joelle while Joe and I talk about some things?" Seth, knowing when Roman needed some alone time with his family, led Dean and the energized little girl out into the hallway. When they were out of earshot she repeated her question. "You can tell me anything, you know that."

"*sigh* I know. But… I don't want what I need to say to ruin "us"," Roman responded hesitantly. She gave him a warm smile and took his hand.

"Nothing, and I mean **nothing** will ruin this marriage or make me love you any less. You could've killed someone, you could have crashed our car, burned our house down, it wouldn't matter. I will always love you. If there's someone else, I understand. If you need anything, I'll help you get it. Just tell me." The Samoan tried holding back tears as he listened to his compassionate, understanding, beautiful wife. He could never keep anything from her anyway.

"*sniffs* You know I love Seth and Dean right? Sometimes, I'll catch myself wondering, or I have to stop myself before I do something I'll regret. It takes a lot of self-control, believe it or not; they can be, and sound, very tempting, even when they're not trying. Or I'll completely forget that I have a loving family at home. When I'm around those two, I feel… I don't know!..."

"*nods* Like you want something more? Jealous?" Her husband nodded to her, holding his head in his hands and unable to look her in the eye. She took both his hands, pulled them away from his face, and pulled him into a slow, soft kiss. "There is nothing wrong with loving them… more than most people would. Don't be afraid to tell them anything. I don't think any differently of you, Joe. And don't be afraid of what I think you might try doing," she whispered after they broke apart. You could hear the smirk in her voice and Roman chuckled at that.

"It will never feel right. Being with them. Especially since they're so close already and I'm just butting in. I'll always feel guilty whenever I'm with them for what I'm thinking and what I want-

"And I'm telling you that you don't have to. Go ahead and do what you want. They're your family too. We'll be here," Galina said, rising from his side to pick up their daughter, who had somehow tackled Seth to the ground and was triumphantly standing beside a chortling Dean. For once, Roman didn't have anything to worry about. No title match at Wrestlemania, no broken nose, no confusion over who he should love, no war raging in his head, no negative thoughts. The only thing that mattered was that he was with his family. ALL of his family.

XxX

Dean and Seth were wrestling with each other around the empty parking lot of a local park, laughing and growling. Seth had attempted a mock Curbstomp in the grass, reducing the impact that would happen to keep Dean safe. He hit the move, worrying he'd hurt his boyfriend when he didn't move. The Ohioan was pulling his leg, however, and ended up putting Seth in an armbar. The Armenian escaped however, and was laying on top of Dean, both a little tired. Roman felt that tiny pang of jealousy before his wife's words echoed in his head. ' _...And I'm telling you you don't have to. Go ahead and do what you want. They're your family too. We'll be here…_ ' Without another moment of hesitation, he jumped on both his brothers and joined the fray. He'd knocked the wind out of both of them, receiving a chorus of wheezing laughs from the two. The three of them continued grappling and laughing to death for the next few minutes.

"You *laughs* haven't done *chuckles* that in- AHAHAHAHAHAHA- **years** Ro! Jesus, what have you been doing these last few years, holding out on us?!" Dean tried, failing successfully, to tell Roman in one breath and avoid another laughing fit. Roman wore the biggest smile the lovers had seen him wear in, well, since he'd been married.

"W-what's with y-y-you all of a- *guffaws*- all of a sudden? You usually avoid us when we d-do this," Seth choked out, hugging Dean, who was hugging Roman from behind. Roman held onto Dean a little longer before helping his brothers up. He pulled both of them into a soft, chaste kiss, leaving Dean smiling stupidly and Seth looking like a deer in headlights. "W-What?"

"I love you guys. I love you so much. I'll never say it or show it enough. I just want you to know."

"We do, Ro, we do. I know we kinda… overdo things when it comes to us, but… *mischievous smile* You're welcome to join us sometime…" Dean replied. Seth turned 50 shades of embarrassed, turning even redder when Roman whispered back, "I might take you two up on that offer."


	16. Challenge Accepted

Chapter Sixteen: Challenge Accepted

A/N: Who else is stoked that there'll be a Triple H vs. Dean Ambrose match in the not too distant future? I know I AM! WOO! *fangirls for another five minutes, then takes a deep breath* Okay, I'm good now. This author's notes was being written right before my track practice started. I picked the story up after I posted chapter 15. Also, I'm still undecided about deviating from the shows and putting Seth in matches. Because, let's face it, Seth was awesome as a heel AND face. I definitely wish he was back right now, and I **know** some of y'all do too. I'd **really** appreciate some responses to that. I cater to the will of the forc- I MEAN readers (Sorry, I was watching Star Wars earlier. Jedi are on my mind.), so tell me what you want to happen, and it just might happen. I'm definitely leaning towards deviating, it depends on how the current storyline will play out before Wrestlemania. I'll try to have this posted before the 14th. Aaaaand I just noticed I've written over half a page of author's notes in this notebook, yikes! Let's get on with the story, shall we? And just to let you know, I've only been to the hospital once, and that was to visit some family during a surgery when I was… four-ish… three and a half? Something like that. I don't know how hospitals work tbh, so correct me on things if I'm wrong. This chapter will be based off of first RAW of this month. (The RIGHT WAY to disclaim): I'm not in any way affiliated w/ WWE or its superstars/divas, I'm just a WWEFanGirl! Jesus, this is over a page long now and this author's notes is getting pretty long! This is why I can never do nice things... Sorry! This chapter'll be extra long since I'll be posting slow. Read on and review! ;)

The trio, the SHIELD love triangle in the words of the New Day, were casually conversing as RAW went on. Since Roman had gotten out of the hospital, the boys had all gotten closer than they thought possible. Roman, on doctor's orders, wasn't exactly medically cleared, so he stayed back at the hotel. Seth, being a team player, opted to stay with Roman, though the real reason was out of curiosity. He loved Dean, he did; Dean was his soulmate, his everything, his one and only. But, Seth wanted to know when, how, why, and if Roman was completely insane seeing as how he had a **wife and daughter**.

Dean, however, had known for quite some time now. And it was the little things. A few glances, the jealous look in his eyes, how he blushed at every compliment they gave him, how he teased and pretended he wanted nothing to do with their love affair when he was really covering up the want bubbling up inside him. Dean did that all the time, so how would he not see through Roman? He could hear it in the slightest bit of nervousness in the big man's voice every now and then, the way his stride was more confident during the shows, how his smiles were wide and genuine, how he was so zoned out during matches or on the mic in the ring. Even his older brotherly habit of worrying about them seemed more… just more. More there, more serious, more "I'd die if something happened to you and I could've done something to stop it" tone compared to the "I'm gonna give you a piece of my mind if you get hurt doing something stupid, so be careful" tone Dean was used to hearing. The little things.

Hearing him talk now on the phone was just another way he could confirm that. Roman was just so **happy** now that he didn't have to hold back his feelings from the two. Whatever Galina said to him must've been some powerful stuff. He was more open and social around them. He was still the most serious and mature of the three, but it was like he was embracing his inner kid again. He actually had a lot more fun these days. "... Yeah, we're watching right now. Who's gonna come out to gloat, or beat his chops talkin' about us? I'm bettin' on Hunter," said Roman's voice on the other end of the line. Dean could hear Seth in the background trying to take the phone from Roman. He must've used his puppy dog eyes, because there were rustling sounds before Seth's voice rang out.

"Hey, baby."

"Ya know, I never answered his question. I don't know what's running through his mind these days. I can't tell if this is some combo of Attitude Era Triple H and the corporate phony version he is these days or if he's just a really good actor. And if you say that he played in a few movies I will strangle you when I get back after the show." Seth, who had in fact been about to say, that grumbled a bit before asking about the matches planned that night. "AJ Styles is teaming with Chris Jericho, Becky and Sasha are gonna be at each other's throats, the New Day is lurking around here somewhere-" Before he could finish that statement, the mentioned party in question came around the corner, heading straight for Dean, who'd stopped talking when he saw them coming.

"Speak of the devil, right?" asked Seth.

Dean sighed and replied, "Yeah, you can say that again. Hold on a minute," *puts the phone on speaker and turns down the volume*

"Who you talkin' to Deano? Got a lady friend? Oh wait!" said Big E over dramatically as Xavier finished sentence.

"Talkin' dirty to Seth over there?"

"Or are you sweet talkin' to big daddy Roman?" questioned Kofi. Dean was trying to keep from attacking them, he really was. His fists were clenched at his side and his shoulders tensed. But, there was a familiar gruff voice that told him, in the back of his head, to play along and dish it out in the ring. He was dubbed the Lunatic Fringe for a reason, so he might as well play the part, right?

"You better shut you mouths asshats, or I'mma take that _precious_ little trombone of yours and _**stick it where the sun don't shine**_ ," Dean threatened. The three looked appalled to say the least. Xavier was cradling his baby in a protective manner.

"Don't you touch her you monster!" he hissed as his two partners stood confidently at his side. "It's okay, Francesca. He didn't mean it." Dean got into character a bit more. It was really fun to mess with the guys sometimes. They never could tell whether he was being serious or not. He adapted that happily fake surprised look on his face and spoke again.

"Oo, did I hit a nerve? Ya feel threatened? Unsafe? Ya know, I could blackmail you. You're not the most upstanding citizens at a party, and I've got some… footage to prove that. Oh, and this," he stated casually, holding up his phone to reveal a photo of Big E lip-locked with Xavier, both holding drinks in their hands and wearing lopsided party hats. They were at an angry loss of words at that. "And you can't say you have anything over me. The whole WWE Universe probably already knows by now about me and Seth. And if they don't, they will soon enough. You ain't got nothin' on me, so go ahead and walk away and sulk." With that, the trio took their leave, but not before Xavier tried to get the last word in.

"This isn't over. You've started a war, Ambrose. In the end, we WILL win."

"*throws his hands up in that "Okay, so?" motion* I'm ready. **We're** ready. Next time you see us, it's on, so bring it." *takes his phone off speaker and puts it back up to his ear* As soon as Dean does, Seth's laughter erupts into his ears. As does Roman's.

Seth choked, "You know, it's scary sometimes how you can switch from Jon Good to Dean Ambrose in .6 seconds without trouble, but that was priceless!" Once his laughter died down a bit, Roman fired back his own comment.

"And it's funny how you can go from Colby Lopez to whiny Seth Rollins instantly when you don't get what you want!"

"Hey!" That had everyone, Seth included, laughing their heads off.

"You're laughing? There really isn't a difference between Joe Anoai and Roman Reigns!" It seemed like no one would stop laughing for the rest of the night. That is, until the three heard Triple H's music. Dean shushed them with a few last minute snickers and composed himself.

"Shhh, *snickers*, Hunter's about to, hahaha, start talkin' guys. *exhales* Let's see what he wants."

The sound of Mötorhead echoed around the arena as Triple H came out to "King of Kings". He strode down to the ring, the WWE World Heavyweight Championship belt slung over his shoulder, mic in his hand and icy glare in his eyes. _"... Authority. A select few have it. The rest of you bow down to it. Now admit it, all of you have an authority figure in your life that you have to listen to. An authority figure that tells you what to do, where to go, how to think, how to dress. And every single one of you hate it!"_

The crowd sounds like they don't want to listen to a single word he was saying. Neither did the boys. Dean griped, "Is there any time he won't try and gloat about the fact that he runs the company? Is there? No one wants to listen to his bullshit! People bought tickets for a reason and it sure as Hell wasn't to listen to him undermine everyone here!"

"Hey, calm down! You're scarin' me here. Is that you in there, or is it…?" Seth's question was left unfinished, and it stung Dean a little. He knew exactly what he was asking. Did he think that he couldn't handle his emotions, so he hid behind his dark side?!

"Yes it's me! Do you really think I'm that emotionally unstable that I'd hide behind **him**?!" ' _Sorry, Mox,'_ he said to his alter quickly in his mind. The alter just shrugged, semming not to care. The anger and hurt in his boyfriend's voice made Seth gulp on the other side of the line. Dean could hear Roman in the distance trying to wrestle the phone away from Seth. Roman couldn't calm Dean down right now, no one really could at the moment. Triple H's words weren't helping the matter either.

 _"You hate it, and you wanna do something about it. You wanna stand up, you wanna speak out, you wanna challenge that authority… But you do not. You don't because you are afraid. Now, now, that fear is not a bad thing. That fear is what keeps things in place. That fear is what- nature provides you that fear let's just say, so that you all know your place in life._ *walks around a bit* _Roman Reigns should've known and listened to that fear. Roman Reigns should've known his place… But he didn't. Roman chose to challenge authority, to disrespect authority. Roman chose to challenge ME! To disrespect ME! Roman Reigns should know his place… You do not challenge authority. That is a lesson to everyone who can hear my voice... "_

Dean was hardly paying attention at that point, he'd stopped paying attention a few minutes ago. "Dean," Seth said, "Baby, I know you're about to do something stupid. Don't. Please, don't. If you end up in another hospital-"

"Don't worry Seth, I'll be fine."

"You've said that the last few weeks. If you think-"

"I'll be fine, Ro."

"Well, at least give my greetin's to Hunter and tell him that his ass is mine would ya?"

"Are you cheating on us already? I didn't know you checked out corporate suck-up assholes! Alright, I will. Duty calls."

"What? I don't even- Dean, wait-"

Before Roman could say another word, Dean said a quick, "Love you both," and hung up. He pulls on his leather jacket, gets into character, and walks to the curtain leading to the entrance ramp. "Tell 'em to hit my music," he said to a nearby stage manager, who spoke into his headset and gave Dean the thumbs up. Just as Triple H is about to continue his rant, with a loud "No one-!", the sound of Retaliation echoes throughout the arena. The crowd goes crazy as the Lunatic Fringe, who's somehow not in a full body cast in some random hospital, saunters down to the ring. This night might just have a happy ending after all.

XxX

"Damn it, Dean!" Roman screamed at his phone. He threw it onto his bed in the hotel room. Seth had backed away a few steps. He could outwrestle Roman on any given day if he really put his mind to it. Beating him in a likely brawl though? Not a snowball's chance in Hell. Roman used his words instead of actions when it came to expressing emotions. If either of his brothers were **really** angry, they'd sometimes brawl and wrestle him to let off steam, but never to intentionally hurt him. Luckily for Seth, Roman was not angry enough to start a fight, and he wasn't exactly 100% either. Instead of punching Seth, he punched the spot on the wall next to Seth. Neither brother moved for a moment. Then, Roman slowly drew his hand away and took a few deep breaths. "I'm sorry, Seth. I just… don't want him getting hurt again," he said quietly after a few minutes of tense silence.

"Hey, it's part of the life. We have to get hurt. You've seen how tough he can be. *briefly smiles* Stealing and driving an ambulance when he's in a neck brace and can't stand up on his own two feet. He'll be fine." Seth knew that Roman got defensive when it came to his little brothers. He was always the most worried, tried to keep them out of trouble, put them before himself. Seth laid a hand on his shoulder, turned him around, and experimentally brushed his lips up against Roman's. There wasn't movement at first, until Roman could no longer ignore his desire. It felt so amazing and like he was dancing on clouds with Seth wrapped in his arms. Roman moaned into it, tempting Seth all the more to do something. To the older man's surprise, he soon found himself pinned against the wall. Seth smirked when they broke apart, pupils dilated and breathing quick. Roman was very much the same. "I've always wanted to do that," the Samoan said. Seth chuckled.

"Well, let's not start the party without Dean. He wouldn't wanna miss our first time together." As soon as he said that, Dean's music hit on the tv. There goes the good mood. And just when they had finally tuned out Hunter too. Both men whirled around, eyes glued to the sight before them. There was Dean. He had that look on his face that spelled trouble. He finished his bit about Hunter not being able to beat him in a match. They were a bit surprised when there wasn't any lashing out or snarky comments. (I mean c'mon, it's Triple H of all people.) And he just challenged Triple H to a title match. Before Roman could do anything, Seth grabbed a coat, the keys to Dean's Camaro, and his key card to their hotel room. He knew something was up. He had the gut feeling things were gonna go south from here. And his gut was usually right. Roman began to follow until Seth blocked the door. "You need to stay here and rest. Don't even **think** about following me. I'll call you if anything comes up, 'kay?" He pecked Roman on the lips and ran out the door and down the steps to the lobby, opting to skip the elevator in favor of sprinting down 3 flights. The oldest brother sighed, plopping down on the bed closest to the tv. He could already tell this wasn't going to end well. His suspicions were about to be confirmed. Seth could shave that 15 minute drive to the arena down to ten if he really tried. Seeing as how it was Dean in trouble, he'd bet his money on five. _'Please get there soon, Seth. Don't let anything happen to him.'_

XxX

Dean was standing, determined and defiant, in front of the company's COO/Champion. He'd heard enough, and by now the script no longer mattered. **This** would definitely get more viewers to tune in. He just had to go about it in the right way. "Hey, uh, before we get started out here, I just wanted to let you know. I just got off the phone with Roman Reigns. And, uh, first of all he says hi… And second of all he wanted me to tell you, uh, he's comin' for you?" *has a puzzled face* The crowd loved that. "I figured you'd know what that meant since that's y'all's deal, so…" Hunter had the look on his face that said, "Okay… You're out here for some reason…"

"Um, ladies and gentlemen, fresh off his win at the Oscars for best supporting actor in a bromance, Dean Ambrose!" The crowd voiced their love for the Cincinnati native.

"...Ha. Haha! Aaaaaah! *slaps Hunter's shoulder still laughing* You're _real_ smart, you're the Cerebral Assassin. And you're smart enough to know that you never **_ever_** wanna get in the ring with a guy like me. You're smart enough to know that you can't beat me," he declared, "You've known that for a long time… _Yeeeeeeeah_ , *stares at the title* I can see it all over ya. I can see it in your face. I can see it in your body. *motions at Triple H* I can read you like a book. *sniffs Hunter* I can smell it on you… You don't think you can beat me." Dean walks backwards with a smug grin on his face. The Game is not amused. Then the crowd starts chanting, "You can't beat him! *clap clap clapclapclap*" "So how 'bout some action from the COO, huh?! How 'bout me… vs. you?" He's trying to calm the crowd, without much success, before he continues. "How 'bout me vs. you, for that?!" he asks, pointing at the title on Triple He's left shoulder. "Hey, my brother won the right to challenge for the World Heavyweight title at Wrestlemania. But that doesn't necessarily mean that you're gonna be the champion on April 3rd, now does it?... So let's find out if I'm just talkin' cuh-razy, and let's find out **right now**!" he shouts, lowering his mic and staring down the King of Kings with chaotic fire in his eyes. Hunter thought for a second before responding.

"(softly) I'm the authority around here. Your thoughts, your ideas, they mean nothing. (Louder) Although, I must admit that this intrigues me somewhat. So I will do what I always do. I will take it under advisement, I will see if it is best for business, and I promise you this Dean: I'll think about it, and I'll give you an answer by the end of the night."

XxX

He did get his answer. Just not the way he expected. Well, Dean didn't know what he expected. A beat down by the League of Nations? Winning a match by DQ? Maybe. A beat down by the calm, cool, and collected guy who was his boss? And very aggressive when he showcased he was still a legendary wrestling veteran? Not so much. He'd just taken out the League with a flying elbow drop off the top rope to the outside of the ring. He rolled back in, preparing to fly through the ropes should they get up. Until _King of Kings_ started playing on the arena speakers. Like a feral zombie, Dean whirled towards the Titantron with a growl as Triple H came his way, taking off his tie. Dean pushed himself up on his somewhat battered knee, clutching his left side, left arm wrapped in tape, not noticing the group stirring behind him. When Hunter got close enough, he signaled to his minions to attack Dean. (The Ohioan would have a huge migraine later, courtesy of del Rio's kick to the head and Triple H hammering his skull with his battle-hardened fists.) When Ambrose had gotten to his knees after that, Triple H declared, "You are never gonna beat the Authority, Dean." He was answered by a flurry of fists that sent him flying into a turnbuckle. A boot to the gut turned the tables though, and Triple H soon planted him with a picture perfect Pedigree. He collapsed onto the bottom rope, wiping the sweat off his face and retrieving his title and mic. In his classic "Game" voice, he growled, "You want a championship match with me?!... You're on!" He throws the mic into Dean's arms. The man in question flips the microphone off of himself and a few inches above his head. He slowly crawls until he can speak clearly into it. As the champ is making his way up the ramp, Dean stops him.

"*pants* Hey! *breathes heavily* Hey. *Triple H turns* ...Thanks." the Lunatic Fringe tiredly replies before slumping back down to the mat. This earned a chorus of giggles from the crowd. Dean never knew when to keep his mouth shut sometimes, even if he was being sincere. Hunter, obviously taking it the wrong way, took off his "work jacket" (as Dean sometimes called it), walked back down the ramp, and proceeded to throw Dean's limp body out of the ring. Effortlessly tossing Byron Saxton out of the way after throwing Dean over the announce table, the Cerebral Assassin hoisted him onto the table and started pounding his skull with an endless assault of flying fists. With each punch, Dean's headache grew worse and worse, to the point where officials had to pry Triple H's, who had started clearing the table of everything from monitors to paper and mics, hands off of a prone Dean. He left without another word. Refs helped Dean to the back where he was met by his lover. Seth had tried finding Dean earlier, had asked around, searched all the SHIELD's old hiding places, the locker rooms, even in catering. Nada. Seth threw one of Dean's arms over his shoulder.

"Did he hurt you, baby?" he asked. Dean weakly shook his head. He waited until the coast was clear before carrying a protesting Dean bridal style to their (he loved how that sounded) car. {Seth had turned on his phone and gotten a notification that _Live on the WWE Network: Dean Ambrose deals with the League of Nations_. He didn't even know he had the network until he tapped it. Live footage of Dean taking out the League with a flying elbow drop. Phew, maybe he and Roman **had** overreacted earlier. Then Triple H's music hit, and he saw the whole thing. The end of the match, the punches, Byron Saxton getting tossed like a rag doll, which would've been funny if his boyfriend wasn't getting beaten up before his eyes. By the time he made his way towards the backstage area near the curtain, RAW had just gone off the air. He bumped into the big man himself, muttering a quick apology and continuing to try and get to Dean.} Roman would be having a heart attack right about now… Yep, his ringtone echoed in the car as Seth pressed accept. Dean was in no mood to talk, so Seth was the one who spoke first. There would be a lot of complaining, explaining, and making up to do when the three were reunited. But hey, at least he knew where that 10 bucks was going every month now.


	17. Comfort & Clarification

Chapter Seventeen: Comfort and Clarification

A/N: Woo! I'm excited for this week. Things are getting interesting! Wyatt vs. Lesnar, Triple H vs. Dean Ambrose, The New Day vs. half the League of Nations, and then Wrestlemania's next month! I'M SO PUMPED RIGHT NOW! *clears throat* Anyway, I'll be taking a band field trip to Washington D.C this Wednesday, so I'll try to post before then. We'll be walking around, touring, eating, taking selfies next to monuments... I'll be back late the 20th, so that's probably when I'll start chapter 18. And if you love Ambrollins as much as I do, I recommend reading fics like Let The World Know by KuraGonzalez, or Shadows of Obscurity by JacktheSinister JaketheJust. Those two fics in particular were my inspiration to start writing this! Also, I've gotten some writing tips and suggestions from a certain active reviewer (U know who are and how much I appreciate you. :3). If you see something in my writing you don't like, doesn't make sense, or don't think belongs in the story, please don't hesitate to tell me. I'd love to get advice from fellow authors that could improve my fic some. Thanks to my readers for staying with this fic for as long as you have and enjoy this chapter!

Well, it looks like Roman **would** get Triple H at 'Mania. All because of a rookie mistake. At first, Dean was beating himself up about it. Literally. How his left shoulder and foot weren't shattered at this point was beyond him. Eventually, he started laughing about it though. If he **was** champion, which would be pretty awesome, he'd have to face not only Brock Lesnar, but Roman. And wasn't there a clause in the former champ's contract that said they get a rematch sometime in the near future? Seth might be able to do more than one match and leave the arena walking, but Dean couldn't. Sure, he managed to survive most of the Royal Rumble after beating Kevin Owens, but that was then. He'd be going against the Beast Incarnate, the King of Kings, and the Samoan Superman all in one night. Brock Lesnar has proven he can put Dean in a hospital, unable to stand. Triple H's attack a few RAWs back was so vicious that he had to be carried **bridal style** to his own car to get back to his hotel. And Dean knows there's no limit to Roman's talent and strength, especially with what's gonna be at stake. Hello full body cast, nice to meet you. He sighed in defeat. He wasn't seeing a winning situation at Wrestlemania even if he **did** pin Brock.

"What's bothering you?" said an overly worried brotherly voice from across the room. Dean looked up to see Roman standing in the doorway of their new hotel room. He had on an outfit that reminded him of an NFL player. ' _He played pro football, dumbshit_ ,' Dean reminded himself. Roman walked over, sensing something was bothering his little brother.

"I'm practically screwed, aren't I? I couldn't beat Triple H and Brock is still a pain in my ass. Wrestlemania is only 3 weeks away and I've hardly had any momentum to get me there. It's harder and harder to find a reason to-"

"Don't start that. Don't you start thinkin' that way. When they told me I needed surgery, do you think I gave up hope? Do you think I just said, "Well, I guess a damaged face is gonna completely ruin my chance of winning at Wrestlemania"? No! Just because you've hit a few speed bumps along the way, doesn't mean you're not gonna recover and pick up speed again. So Hunter messes with you and Brock's sayin' empty threats. You're **Dean Fucking Ambrose**! Are you really gonna let that stop you?!" Roman cried, trying to get to his brother.

"You don't get it, Ro. I've had this opportunity shoved in my face over and over again for the past year and a half. I've failed EVERY time. What makes you think this time'll be any different?" Before he could answer, another voice spoke up.

"When I had to cry myself to sleep at night every night I wasn't with you two, when I had to say those horrible, unforgivable things about you, when I had to **hurt** you and play mind games week after week, when they told me I wouldn't be able to wrestle for almost a year, do you think I ever gave up hope? Do you think that after we've gotten this far, we can just quit?! Do you think after you've gotten this far, Rome and I would just **let** you quit?!" Seth was red in the face, panting slightly, and holding a muddy football. Huh, so that's where they'd been all morning. He wasn't finished apparently, because he stomped towards them and looked Dean straight in the eyes, trying to convey everything he couldn't say through the look. "I believe in you. **We** believe in you. You are the craziest, strongest, most determined, stubborn, and amazing man I've ever met, Dean. Don't come to us with this "I don't know if I can do this" bullshit. You know better and we know better, so don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

"I don't talk to you for two days and the first thing you do is try to drag me out of the mud. What did I do to deserve you two again?" was Dean's response. Seth laughed with sad eyes. Roman ruffled Dean's already unruly hair.

"I said something I never should have said. It's just that… you're not the best at the whole handling emotions thing. I just wanted to make sure you weren't gonna wake up in the ring with no idea how you got there or what was going on…" he trailed off. Dean sighed.

"You know how to tell the differences between us. In our eyes, movements, voices. You know the signs. I'm pretty sure you almost set me off with that question, too. But it's okay, Seth." He looked the two-toned man in the eyes, trying to say without words "I was never mad at you, but you should know better." Bright blue met chocolate brown and there was instant understanding. Roman was always amazed at how they could do that.

Roman said, "You didn't do anything to deserve us, you never had to." That had everyone grinning. When it sunk in Dean cleared his throat and walked to the door.

"Now, I could really go for a game of football. Who all's in?" His other two brothers joined him in heading downstairs. They were walking out the front door of the hotel when they ran into Sasha. She seemed out of breath and, if her face was anything to judge by, she knew something important. She clung to Roman's shoulder for a few seconds before she spoke.

"You guys won't believe what the Authority just told me."

XxX

Roman was popping his knuckles, now eager and anxious for RAW. Payback is a bitch. Everyone learns that one way or another. Triple H is gonna have to relearn it the hard way.

"That's what they told me. And they wanted you to know. I play both sides, remember?"

"Hunter in a match? Perfect. When he goes out there, I'm-"

"Whoa, hey now, big man. Now I know how you think when it comes to this kind of thing. I don't think so," Dean said, "Trust me. Revenge now? It's not gonna end well, whether or not you beat him down on RAW. I've been on the receiving end. Don't."

"...So you expect me to wait until Wrestlemania to dish out punishment? You think I can wait that long? You think **he'll** wait that long?!"

"And you're gonna sink to his level? You're gonna be low and act like some scumbag? I know he deserves it. He deserves a Helluvah lot worse. But you're better than him and you know it."

" **Seth, tell him!** " the older brothers both yelled at the same time. The blonde and black haired man had his hands up. He was tense, expecting them to start brawling any second now. He wanted nothing to do with this argument.

"When did I get dragged into this?! I mean, you both have points, but… You expect me to choose between the two of you? I can't choose between the _men_ I love!" Seth shouted. This caused both men to stop in their tracks. Roman was confused and Dean seemed calmed down and somewhat amused.

"Men?" Roman asked, "Don't you mean I can't choose someone over the **man** you love?" Dean glared at him in disbelief.

"You think that just because me and Seth have been together for a while that we don't love you just the same? *hits him upside the head* Are you out of your mind?!"

Seth laughed to himself. Talk about a role reversal of sorts. Dean is the responsible, **reasonable** one for once? **Roman** was the hothead without a plan? Is the world ending tomorrow or something? "We don't love you any less, Rome, we just… love each other in a different way," he said. Dean was pulling Roman towards him for his first official kiss when Sasha pushed them apart.

"Ew! Ew, you guys! I'm still here you know! I'll keep my lunch IN my stomach if that's good with you three." Roman and Seth jumped, having forgotten about the Boss sitting not three feet away from them. Dean tried stifling his laugh before pulling Roman into a slow, sensual kiss anyway. Sasha mimicked gagging before whispering something to Seth and leaving. Whatever Dean was doing had Roman moaning, and whatever Roman was doing was drawing low groans from the Cinncinati native. Seth smirked, holding his phone up and recording it all. He was ecstatic that the three could finally show just how much they love each other. He'd have to take a day with both of them, Dean especially seeing as how they hadn't been on the best of terms lately. This was going to be a fun week. "Now that you two are sated, *holds up the football* anyone up for football?"


	18. Good Times In The Ambrose Asylum (Pt 1)

Chapter Eighteen: Good Times In The Ambrose Asylum (Part 1)

A/N: I'm so sorry this is super late! My tablet charger broke, so I had to wait and buy a new one. Not to mention I've been sick this week, and the headache I have right now has contributed to writer's block. So, last chapter was more fluffy and filler-ish than anything. Moved the plot along a little itty bit. This and next chapter will be more RAW-ish based (from 3/14), part 2 will anyway. Anyway, let's get on with chapter 18! Just a brief warning, smut/a lemon will ensue. First time writing a full blown actual… thing, that… Yeeeeeah... Read at your own risk! Disclaim: I own nothing but this story and my ideas, I'm just a WWEFanGirl! Also, special thanks to KozueNoSaru for being my most supportive and active reader/reviewer! And there's not enough thanks and gratitude in the world for every reader, viewer, reviewer, etc. who's read this story. Over 3,000 views in 3 months! I don't know if that's good, but it seems good to me! Now, chapter 18.

Seth was beyond confused right now. He knew his boyfriend could be a little (okay, a lot)... unorthodox at times. Stuffing a crowbar in his leather jacket was beyond unorthodox. Who carries a fucking **crowbar** around with them?! All Dean said was, "It's for Brock." All of his questions were answered. "So you're gonna go out there again and provoke him? Are you even listening to yourself? And you're gonna use that?!" he questioned, pointing to the silver crowbar in the inside pocket of that jacket. Dean was more… he just seemed more jittery and out of sorts these days. He thought it had something to do with him and Roman, then he saw the crowbar. So it had something to do with his Wrestlemania match.

"This *points to the weapon* can knock him out cold if I hit him juuuuust right. Trust me, I know what I'm doing. All my hardcore and death matches in the past speak for me. I'm not afraid to take shots, jump, fall, be lit on fire, get stabbed by thumbtacks, buried alive, shoved in a casket, shoved off a roof, tangled in barbed wire, hit by a car, whatever. They don't bother me at all."

"Rome isn't gonna agree with this," the Armenian told him, standing a few feet away with his arms crossed.

"That's why we don't tell him yet," Dean replied. Seth was about to object before he thought about the sentence.

"Yet?" he asked, both nervous and suspicious. Dean nodded.

"When I go out there, go find Roman and tell him I just told you I had a plan to get Brock. Like you just found out. Won't know the difference." Now Dean was coming up with plans?

"We may be good actors, but we're not **that** good. You really think he'll buy that?" His boyfriend groaned in annoyance, arms crossed and eyebrows creased.

"Ya see? That's your problem: You think too much. For once, no plans. Improvise, make it up as things happen. Just go with it." As he finished that sentence, he threw a punch at his boyfriend, who promptly caught it and pulled Dean into a headlock. He chuckled as Seth let him go with a bewildered look on his face.

"What the hell was tha-" He was cut off by a fierce kiss from Dean. Seth froze in surprise. Before he could react and kiss back, Dean pulled away with a growl.

"Stop. Thinking. Not everything you do requires using your brain. You don't think about walking or breathing, do you?" Seth shook his head. "Exactly. So stop thinking about every little thing and just go with it." The younger brother huffed and shot Dean a bitchface. His whole persona was about a talented high flyer who had a mouth on him and could think his way out of anything. The reason he played Seth Rollins so well was because his own personality was somewhat similar. Don't think? Easier said than done. He looked away and ended up lost in thought. He had that furrowed brow, far off look on his face. "Seth? Hey! *shakes his shoulders, snaps in front of his face, snarls*" When Dean didn't get a response, he got angry.

' _Stop thinking? It's not in my nature to. I have to think about everything. He could say one word and I'd start thinking about what he's saying or what he's about to say and…'_ Seth snapped out of it when Dean really did punch him. He could tell it wasn't full force because he wasn't clutching his reddened cheek in pain lying on the cold, hard ground. Oh wait. Seth looked up into his lover's eyes. Furious, hurt, conflicted, but still the bright, hopeful, crazy look of Dean Ambrose and not… *internally shivers* an out of control Moxley.

Dean screamed, "How hard is it to just let go and not think for just two seconds?! That's all I'm asking you to do! HOW HARD IS THAT?!"

"You're basically telling me to not be me! How am I supposed to react to that?! Am I just supposed to go along with this just because you want me to? Is that it?! You want me to do whatever you want without fighting about it? Just blindly follow orders like a good little soldier? I tried that once and do you remember where that got me?! Guess what? That's not what I do, that's not who I am, and that's what I'm NEVER GONNA BE! " Seth cried, equally as loud. By now, they were in each other's faces, red as rubies, and breathing hard. Dean yanked Seth by the shirt and slammed him into the wall. He glared into those defiant brown eyes, receiving an equally furious glare.

"You don't need to think when you're running your mouth, do ya? Words just fly out, don't they?"

"What's it to you? You're just a scared little boy hiding behind a tough guy façade." Seth regretted that comment as soon as he felt the harsh, bitter words leave his mouth. A flash of pain was seen in Dean's eyes and a flash of fear and remorse in Seth's.

He takes a second to compose himself before whispering, "That's the Seth I wanna hear." His grip loosened a little as he slid his hands slowly up towards Seth's face. Without missing a beat, the two toned man crushed his lips on his lovers. The first few times were rough and sloppy, as if the two were inexperienced. When they were a bit calmer, the kisses turned more gentle, suggestive, passionate. They, finally, pulled away gasping for breath, their argument and shouting match long forgotten. One look between them was all they needed. "Are you sure you want this?" Dean asked, tenderness and his usual tone of voice returning. Seth leaned in for another quick kiss before saying, "I've never been more sure of anything in my life."

 **#Explicit**

When Seth spoke those words, Dean didn't have any more concerns. They both wanted this, and it showed. Dean, always trying to be in control of this kind of thing, remained on top. Seth didn't seem to care, peppering Dean's neck with butterfly kisses. Dean was holding back a moan before he nipped at Seth's collarbone. He threw his head back, exposing more of his sensitive skin to his boyfriend. Dean bit him none too gently, making sure he'd leave his mark. Seth was **his** and **only his**. Well, he might share a little with Roman. Maybe. He moved and did the same to Seth's pulse point, eliciting long, drawn out moans from him. Dean swallowed down his moans with a breathtaking kiss, gently biting and tugging on Seth's lower lip. Next, they began exploring and mapping out every crevice, corner, part of each other's mouths, tongues meeting ever so often.

Seth thrust upwards for some much needed friction, making both men almost fall apart right then and there. He tried to do it again, but Dean arched backwards so that all Seth met was air. Dean shushed him as soon as he tried to complain. "What are you, a horny teenager? This is our first time. Don't you wanna draw-"

"-it out as long as possible? Yeah, but this is torture. I mean, it feels amazing, but I need **something, anything.** And don't act like you don't," he huffed, pressing up against Dean's painfully tight jeans. The man with sapphire like eyes groaned, thrusting up into Seth in turn. Seth smirked, trying to stifle a laugh. "See what I mean? Who's horny now?" Dean growled at him playfully before continuing to treat Seth's body like a temple. The tugging of his earlobes and Dean's warm, sweet breath drove him crazy and sent shivers down his spine. Seth tightened his arms around his boyfriend and switched their positions. He may not be the more dominant man, in a way, in this relationship, but he wasn't about to just sit back and let him do all the work. It was his turn to pamper Dean.

He began doing what Dean had done to him. Then, he none too gently removed Dean's leather jacket and shirt. He ripped his off in the same manner and went back to what he'd been doing. They felt their way down each other's chests, memorizing the feel and texture of each inch of skin and muscle. Dean's chest muscles contracted momentarily when Seth brushed the middle of his abs and nipples. "Aren't you *devious look* ticklish there?" Seth inquired. His boyfriend gulped, but didn't answer. He took that as a yes. He gently dragged his hands across the same part of his stomach, making Dean giggle. Good thing his feet weren't within reach, or this would end up being an all out tickle fight. They continued exploring each other's upper bodies until Dean's hands got to the waistband of Seth's skinny jeans. They looked into each other's eyes, looking for any flicker of regret or uncertainty. There was none to be found.

He slowly undid the buttons and zipper, letting the jeans fall and pool at Seth's ankles. Seth did the same to Dean. They kicked them off and made their way to the bed. They pulled off what remained of their clothes and climbed onto the bed, Dean straddling Seth. He leaned down and continued kissing Seth in all the right places. After a few minutes of that, he grabbed his bag and pulled out a bottle of lubricant. Seth looked at the bottle, then looked up at Dean, who had stopped in his tracks. "*pant* Well? *pant pant* What're you waiting for?" he asked. Dean seemed uncertain in his movements as he coated his fingers and started slowly stretching Seth.

"Are you sure about this? Are you sure this is what you want? You know there's no going back-"

"If you ask that one more time, I'm gonna kill you Dean. You weren't shy about this a few minutes ago. Weren't you the one saying not to think?" he asked, smirking at his he used his boyfriend's own words against him. Dean chuckled and, carefully slid into Seth after coating himself with lube. Both men moaned from the pure pleasure. Dean stayed still to give his lover time to adjust before slowly pulling out and pushing back in again.

"Do you want me to go-?"

"Slow," Seth managed before another moan escaped him, "I mean, there's a difference between fucking someone and making love, right?" He wholeheartedly agreed with that statement, continuing his slow pace until he got into a rhythm. As he continued moving, unless he dived in for a deep kiss, his eyes never left Seth's. The emotion in them was so intense that Dean almost fell apart every time they looked at each other. After a while of this, Dean could feel his release building, and Seth could feel his too. Making sure to match pace with Dean, he slowly started jerking off. If you were around, you'd be able to hear the sound of skin on skin, panting, heavy breathing, moans, groans, and other not so PG sounds.

"Jon!"

"Colby!"

 _"I love you!"_ they both shouted as they came at the same time. When he was spent Dean collapsed next to Seth, gently pulling all the way out. Neither man could breathe let alone talk, gulping in air as if someone had just tried drowning them, but a look was all they needed from each other. Dean felt like he was on cloud nine. He'd just made love to the man who was practically his soulmate. Seth never wanted this moment to end. He'd just slept with the man that was his whole world. They smiled and sloppily locked lips.

 **#Explicit End**

Seth tiredly asked, "*pant pant* When're we tellin' Rome 'bout this?" Dean grumbled a bit before snuggling with Seth.

"...Whenever. Ya know we only have a few hours 'till showtime, right? As much as I'd love to just lay here with you *kisses his forehead*, we need to get cleaned up." the older brother said. Seth knew he was right, but they still had a few hours.

"We still have… *glances at a clock* 5 hours."

"5 hours until RAW's on the air. 3 hours until we need to be down there. The drive to the arena's not exactly short either."

Seth tried, and failed successfully, to sit up, so he instead rested his head on Dean's chest. "Since when have you cared about being late?" he asked. Dean, who had enough energy to halfway sit up, replied, "Since I've decided to take my boyfriend out to an early dinner." Seth gave him the most adorable face that screamed, "For me? Aw, you shouldn't have." (not in the sarcastic way) as Dean helped him up to take a shower. Tonight was gonna be a good night.

Closing A/N: The chapter seemed kinda random when I reread it. I'm sorry if it is. And, before there's any questions and confusion, this is Dean and Seth's first time sleeping together. They've done the talking, teasing, and touching, but have never gone all the way. Just wanted to make that clear. Also, about the explicit section… don't ask why or how. If you've read my profile, you're probably wondering that. Let's just chalk it up to a not so PG ff search history. And lastly, chapter 19 should be up shortly. Or at least in the next few hours. And by few I mean after I get my extra hours of sleep and finish the chapter. It's about 2 'o clock Eastern Time, so I'm gonna post this and hit the sack.


	19. Good Times In The Ambrose Asylum (Pt 2)

Chapter Nineteen: Good Times In The Ambrose Asylum (Part 2)

A/N: And here's part 2. **This** chapter follows last week's RAW. I'm so sorry for the slow updates! I blame my D.C. trip and writer's block for that. This is so late, I've been beating myself up about it all week! And here's my normal author's notes rant: I'm a huge Mick Foley fan. I _**LOVE**_ Mick Foley. I have some of his books ( Countdown to Lockdown is my favorite), have idolized him since God knows when, and legit almost died when I heard he was at my city's Comic Con. He had a 3 hour long line! It'd be worth it to meet him though! And I literally couldn't breathe when I saw Mick Foley and Dean Ambrose in the same room I was so ecstatic. Imagine them as a hardcore tag-team. Oh my gosh, the amazingness that would happen if it could be. Anywho, now that I'm done fangirling over the HCL, here's another chapter today for your trouble.

Roman knew that something was up with his brothers. They were holding hands. In public. They were constantly whispering things to each other. They kept locking eyes every time they **thought** Roman wasn't paying attention. Little things. Then the kissing. Every other minute the two would be lip-locked, relaxed, happy, off in their own little world. It was almost as if Roman didn't exist. Feeling like the third wheel that day, he opted to hang back at the hotel when the couple asked him to join them for an early dinner before the show.

"Oh c'mon, Ro. I know we kinda treat you like you're invisible, but we want you to be around," Dean said. Seth was resting his head on Dean's shoulder, arms around his waist. Roman gave him that "Really?" look before replying.

"No offense, but y'all have been actin' like I never existed since yesterday. It's like you two are in your own little happily ever after fairytale story or something. The hand holding, the whispering, the kissing. What aren't you telling me?" Seth started fidgeting. Mr. I Have A Guilty Conscience was having a war in his mind. _'A lot of things. Jesus, you have no idea, Rome,_ ' he thought. He promised Dean they'd stick to the plan though, so he kept quiet. Roman, with his big brother magic, could sense Seth's inner turmoil. " _Colby_ …" Both brothers gulped at that. Not just the new tone of worried from their brother turned lover, but the fact they were using real names again. Seth wouldn't be able to hold it in much longer at this rate.

"It's nothing. It can wait anyway. We have a show to get ready for," was his response. Roman groaned in frustration at the stubbornness. He usually got through to his youngest brother. Whatever Dean did, Roman wasn't sure whether to be thankful or annoyed. Getting secrets out of them now seems virtually impossible. "I'll tell you later. I promise," he whispered to Roman when Dean was out of earshot, trying to find that damn crowbar. Why a **crowbar** of all things? Why not a steel chair, kendo sticks, a sledgehammer, baseball bat, anything else? He'd have to ask his boyfriend later if they weren't too busy stealing each other's food.

XxX

Monday Night RAW

Somewhere backstage…

Seth was nervously watching his boyfriend, once again, trying to provoke one Brock Lesnar. Roman had left, saying he would be right back after he talked to the scriptwriter about something. (Dean) "... _Go ahead, ask him. 'Cuz it ain't gonna be good. He for sure ain't feelin' good, because, win or lose, Triple H learned what could happen when you when you take me lightly. Triple H learned what can happen when you underestimate me. Triple H learned what can happen when you don't show me the proper respect! Which brings us to tonight… and the road to Wrestlemania_ -" Seth sighed when he heard Brock's music hit. This would be around the time to go find Roman and tell him how Dean had the crowbar in his jacket and how he just found out about it a little while ago. But with the way things were earlier, he just couldn't lie to Roman. This was going to be a very long night. " _Ladies and gentlemen, inmates of the asylum, inmate who runs the asylum… My name… is Paul Heyman, and I serve tonight as a walking order of protection. For I am the only voice of reason that's saving Dean Ambrose from catching one hellacious beating at the hands of Lesnar. Because if Brock Lesnar comes down to that ring, you will not make it to Wrestlemania. And then, then there's no one left for Brock Lesnar to fight because you are the only one crazy enough to step in the ring, in a no-holds barred street fight with Brock Lesnar_."

"*points to himself* _I'm not provokin' him. I don't think I have to provoke him. I'm lookin' at Brock. I mean he's doin' his bouncy thing and lookin' all bouncy and ready. It looks to me like Brock Lesnar wants to come down here and fight_ _ **right now**_!" The crowd cheers and Heyman starts getting a little nervous, knowing how his client is when it comes to this sort of thing. He's trying to keep the Beast in check. " _Okay, thank you very much Mr. Ambrose. Ladies and gentlemen, permit me to put an end to this nonsense. On Sunday, thy April 3rd, 2016, Wrestlemania will be only on the WWE Network. And, in case you haven't heard, this year for the first time ever, free Wrestlemania to new subscribers on the network. The main event: Dean Ambrose, the knucklehead in the ring right now, against the only man to ever hold the NCAA Division 1 Heavyweight Championship, the UFC Heavyweight Championship, and the undisputed WWE Heavyweight Championship of the world, I give to you, in a no-holds street fight,_ _ **Brock Lesnar**_ _. And as the advertising campaign says: What are you waiting for? Thank you ladies and gentlemen. And I bid you a fair adieu."_

Paul had already walked backstage, not noticing Brock wasn't following behind him. As Brock began walking down the ramp, Dean began unzipping his jacket, a smirk plastered on his face. That's when he, much to the excitement of the crowd, pulled the crowbar out of his jacket. He's gesturing to Brock, "C'mon!" Paul is holding him back, asking "What are you doing?" Brock doesn't seem that certain now that his enemy had a weapon. The Lunatic Fringe is furiously pacing the ring, armed and ready for an attack. As the Beast advances towards the ring, he wields the crowbar in a ready position. He keeps gesturing and shouting to Brock, trying to get him to climb into the ring. Brock turns towards the Titantron before leaping onto the apron, narrowly missing the wild, frenzied swing of the crowbar from Dean. Had the crowbar made impact, it would have dented his skull with the amount of force Dean had put behind the swing. Brock laughed at the attempt. He'd have his match at Wrestlemania. And when Wrestlemania came, Dean Ambrose would be no more.

XxX (Goes down a little differently for plot reasons)

Later that night…

Dean had just finished putting some things back into his bag. Then Seth walked in. He walked in, and threw a tantrum, asking him why he always did stupid things. Why he didn't care about his own well-being. Then the other brother entered the locker room, wearing his S.H.I.E.L.D. vest, almost fuming. He started his rant too. Dean was trying really hard not to kiss Roman senseless right now to calm him down. Something else to add to his never ending list of things to straighten out. "Have you not learned ANYTHING these last few weeks? You've ended up in a hospital, sore all over, in a neck brace, barely able to stand, much less walk, F-5'd more times than we can count. You might not survive until Wrestlemania at this rate!"

"When has that ever stopped me?" Dean retorted, "I won't stop until Brock Lesnar's put in his place. Until he's so battered, bloody, beaten, broken down that he can't stand on his own two feet. That he's forced into a hospital. Until I've broken something deep down inside him. I won't let him hurt anyone I care about, or me, anymore. *turns away* And neither of you can stop me…" Roman let out an agitated sigh before placing a hand on Dean's shoulder. Dean turned his head slightly to meet his older brother's eyes.

"Then you better come back in one piece, you got it? *kisses his lips, briefly, then his forehead* Or else I'll hunt you down and drag you out the hospital myself this time," the Samoan uttered before he started making his way out of the locker room. Dean grabbed his arm and pulled Roman into a slow, calming kiss. He'd been meaning to do that ever since they'd made it back here. Roman kisses back before continuing to take his leave. He turned once more to Dean and asked, "And a crowbar? Really?" Dean shrugged with an innocent, open look on his face.

"Had to get creative, ya know?" Roman responded with an exasperated smile and left. Now it was Seth's turn to finish going off on him. Strangely enough, he didn't. Instead, he pressed Dean against a wall of lockers and assaulted him with kisses. When Dean got over the shock, he reciprocated the kisses and slowly pushed them off the lockers into the middle of the room. Dean gently tugged on Seth's hair, breaking the silence around them with groans. Which is probably why they never heard the door open. Dean moaned into the kiss before someone cleared their throat, startling the couple and putting them in battle mode. Dean was holding the crowbar again. Seth had his fists raised in the ready position.

"Was I interrupting something, fellas? Should I come back later instead of asking what the **frick** you're doing?" the legend asked, pushing his unruly brown hair out of his beaming face. Dean grinned and proceeded to hug and exchange greetings with one of his hardcore idols.

"What are you doin' here?" Dean asked with an equally wide grin. Mick Foley, the Hardcore Legend of WWE, stood in his classic flannel, leggings, and sneakers. He shook hands and politely greeted Seth before answering.

"So, you two? Man, I wasn't expecting this. You're adorable together though, I'll just leave it at that." The two blushed, Dean giving him a look at being called adorable. "Dean, uh, I heard about this match between you and Brock Lesnar. I felt the, the need to talk to you." Dean's expression changed to that face that said, "Are you serious right now?"

"Don't. Don't tell me you're gonna come here to try and talk me out of it?" he questioned.

"No, no. Actually, I came bearing a gift. But, *scoffs* first I'm gonna clear my conscience. You and I both know this is a really bad idea. Like, you and Brock… It's a- It's a bad idea. You know what he does, you've been there."

"Yeah."

"You're running in hurt."

"Yeah."

"Bad."

"Yeah."

"For a long time."

"Uh-huh."

"And you accept that?"

Dean finally replied with more than one word by saying, "I mean, I'm not a baseball player, ya know?"

"*short chuckle* So part of it even looking forward to it?" Mick responded.

"Eh, I mean, it's the deal. It is what it is. You know what I'm sayin'. Is what it is-"

"Then before you proceed, can I ask you one simple question?... **Why**? **Why, Dean, why**?"

"*clicks his tongue* Let me ask **you** a question. When you were standing on top that Hell in a Cell fighting the Undertaker, were you afraid? Were you scared?" The HCL bit his lip and thought a second before responding.

"Yeah. Dean, people down below looked like _ants_ , and I was terrified." he replied, pointing down as if picturing the scene now.

"Then why'd you keep goin'?"

"...Because I was Mick Foley and that's what I did," he said matter of factly. Dean smiled a bit.

"And I'm Dean Ambrose. And this is what I do." Foley gave him that wild eyed, crazy grin of his.

"So as long as your mind's made up, I want you to take Brock Lesnar on a little journey at Wrestlemania. Because I've heard all I can stand about Suplex City. I want you to take Brock Lesnar somewhere considerably more dangerous. And I want you to take him on a journey **into your past**!" Dean's expression darkened. For a few seconds he had the face of the lunatic most wrestlers feared deep down. It made Seth cringe a bit to see that look. Add dark lighting and a single flashlight. Voilà, a horror film is made. "The deep, dark resources of your mind. I want you to have something unique for your gift. *takes the crowbar from Dean* With all due respect, may I please?"

"Oh yeah, go ahead."

"This is nice. The crowbar's nice."

"Yeah, it's nice and solid."

"But we're talking about Wrestlemania here, a hundred- *pitches the crowbar* -thousand fans. You're gonna need something… special." Mick reaches to his right and grabs a tall, blood red wrapped gift box, complete with a white bow on top, and hands it to the Lunatic Fringe. "Consider this to be a- a passing of the torch… Bang, bang!" he stated, doing his classic Cactus Jack line with the finger guns, leaving Dean and Seth to their own devices. Seth walked back over to his boyfriend and eyed the present cautiously. This was **Mick Foley** who gave him a gift. Who knows what could be in there?

"What do you think it is?" Seth asked.

Dean responded, "Only one way to find out." He ripped the lid off the box, glanced in, and looked up, smiling. He put the box on the floor, rolled his shoulders, reached down, and pulled out a huge barbed wire baseball bat. The top was completely surrounded by the deadly silver mesh. One prick on your finger could leave a scar behind and a mini river of blood. Dean grinned that demonic, almost Moxley grin at the sight. Seth's eyes widened in shock and horror. He took a step back.

"Oh God. Oh my God! Mick, what've you done?! Why?!" he shouted as Dean started inspecting, then cuddling the bat. He's not called the Lunatic Fringe for nothing.

XxX

Now it was Dean's turn to worry about someone. He was leaning against the wall across from a tv monitor holding Seth, who was still wary of that bat, watching Triple H in the ring. Triple H had just won his match against Dolph Ziggler, standing victorious with his title held high. That's when Roman's music hit and **everyone** was startled. Dean fell forward off the wall, sandwiching Seth between himself and the floor. Seth yelped at the impact and the fact that he was getting crushed by Dean. Again. "Dean-"

"I know, I know. My bad. *gets up and offers Seth a hand* Is he serious right now?! And he calls me wreckless," Dean shouted. As he did, he and Seth saw Roman just snap. Throwing Hunter into the announce table, shoving referees, taking the fight all over the arena. A vicious attack couldn't be more of an understatement. This was pure, cold-hearted, I don't give two fucks about anything else revenge. Even a whole platoon of referees, security, and Jamie Noble couldn't keep Roman from brutalizing the Game. First, he hammered away at him in the ring. Next, he continuously rammed Triple H's head into the announce table, trying to, hopefully, give him a taste of his own medicine. Soon enough, Roman was throwing things and swinging things at Hunter in the tech area for the show. Hunter tried to put some space between them, retreating backstage with blood pouring down the side of his head. Reigns caught up with him, however, and threw him, and a number of security/refs, into walls. Triple H, on pure instinct, tried to regroup and keep up the defense long enough to formulate a plan. While the unlucky people tried holding Roman back, without much success, Hunter grabbed a steel chair. He was in mid-swing when a trash can was hurled at him, knocking him down.

"Roman, what the Hell are you doing?!" Dean shouted, knowing he couldn't get there soon enough to stop him, being on the other side of the building and all. "He's lost it Seth! He's snapped. HE'S LOST HIS FUCKING MIND!" Dean had begun pacing, left hand absentmindedly tugging on his hair in frustration. They dare call **him** unstable when everyone was seeing Roman when his inner beast was released?! Seth knew if he tried to do anything he'd probably get punched. Or shoved, or yelled at, or tackled. Who knows? Trying to talk to an angry Dean was no simple task. It got even harder when they saw what transpired next.

Roman had ripped a flat screen tv effortlessly off of the wall and was wielding it as a weapon. He pointed it as a warning to every person trying to stand in his way. They begged him to cease fire, to stop his onslaught. Roman just smirked and brought the tv down on Triple H's back, effectively almost splitting the thing in half. He had half a mind to do it again before his cousins, the Usos, showed up, followed bravely by Jack Swagger and Mark Henry. "Don't do it, not like this! You'll get your match at 'Mania! Calm down! Stop!" were a few of the coherent phrases heard over the earsplitting roar of the electric crowd. Roman threw the ruined tv down and tried to catch his breath.

Dean was struggling against Seth's grip to go and find Roman. If this didn't fit in so well with the storyline, he'd for sure get fired in a heartbeat. Seth knew letting Dean go would only make things worse, so he tried to restrain him as best he could. This was no easy task. Dean had superhuman strength during a rage. That was without counting the adrenaline, which made him seem unstopable in a fight. He shouted, "Seth! Let go!"

"You'll just make things worse! Just chill, Dean! Give him a piece of your mind tomorrow, when we're all calmed down. Even Roman would agree to that. He won't wanna deal with us now. I don't need two hotheads to deal with back at the-" Dean angrily cut him off.

"Don't tell me to chill! Tell Roman!" He tried, and successfully, wrestled out of Seth's grasp and ran towards the other side of the arena. Seth, however, caught him by the arm and put him in a hammerlock. Dean was in a world of hurt, even without the full pressure on. He always forgot that Seth was the more technical wrestler out of the three, high flying and mouthing off aside.

"I won't let go until you calm down. Then we can **both** go find Roman and **both** go off on him. It'll be more fun that way," Seth whispered into Dean's ear, hoping it would calm him down somewhat. It did, but Seth wouldn't take any chances. He whipped Dean around and pulled him into a much needed kiss. He allowed Dean to release as much anger and stress as he wanted through the kiss. A not so gentle bite here, a growl there, yanking his hair a little. When Dean's movements turned gentle, Seth reluctantly pulled away with a soft whimper. "Now we can go find Roman," he mumbled, though that wasn't the first thing he wanted to do right now. Dean nodded and proceeded to head towards the stage and entrance curtain. Off to his right, he found Roman surrounded by two of the four who convinced him to leave Triple H alone earlier. Jimmy and Jey left when they saw the other two members of the SHIELD, telling Roman they'd call him later and check in. Mark and Jack had left a little while ago. The two marched over to a heavily breathing Roman.

Before either of them could start, Roman held up his hand. He took a few deep breaths. "I'll explain later, I promise. Just let me get some sleep first. It's better if I explain in a good mood. And if you haven't bashed my skull in first," he said, referring to Dean's clenched fists and angry eyes. Dean sighed and unclenched them.

"Told ya so," Seth sang, earning a smack to he head from his boyfriend. All three of them were smiling though. They'd gained momentum in their current rivalries. If all goes well, it'll be smooth sailing from here.


	20. Am I A Monster?

Chapter Twenty: Am I A Monster?

A/N: This is what happens when I'm a week behind on chapters. Random beginnings, *sighs*. I've rewritten and completely changed the beginning of this chapter so many times, it's gotten to the point where I wanna just skip it and finish writing chapter 21. Anyway, this chapter takes place after the March 21st episode of RAW. I don't know if those two just lost it, or if someone's spreading rage like it's a virus, but Jesus people, calm down! First it was Roman, now it's Dean. *sigh* Can someone call Bruce Banner to teach these guys how to keep calm? And Happy late Easter! To those of you who believe in God, our Lord and Savior above, and Jesus, I hope you had a good holiday! I'll warn you, part of this is gonna be completely crazy, but I laughed my ass off just thinking about it. Now then, onto chapter 20.

Seth was about to have a heart attack. Not only had Roman lost his temper again, but Dean had gotten yet another present from another legend when it came to brutal matches. Terry Funk had given Dean a chainsaw. **WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND GIVES DEAN AMBROSE A CHAINSAW?!** He had decided to get a drink and unwind in town, so he selected a random place. That's when he heard screams and the roar of something. He ran in, past a smiling Terry Funk, who he greeted briefly, and the sight that met his eyes scared him to death. Dean, his lovable, hotheaded, goofball, romantic, stubborn, amazingly sexy boyfriend, was going crazy with a chainsaw, sawing a table all to pieces and scaring the living shit out of everyone. Seth looked back at the beaming legend leaving the pub, put two and two together, and rushed over to Dean. "Dammit, Dean," he muttered to himself.

"Hahaha! This is great. This is amazing!" Dean shouts over the roar of the chainsaw. He looks crazed and happy beyond belief. The crowd would probably be screaming CZW by now, seeing as how Dean looked like he was releasing his inner Jon Moxley. Wait. Oh god. What if…?

"Dean! What the Hell are you doing?!" the Iowa native shouted. The Lunatic Fringe glanced up and, with a final slice, sawed the pub's table in half. He shut the chainsaw off, wiping the sweat from his face.

"Hey, babe. 'Took you so long?" he said, smirking. He placed the chainsaw next to him on the floor. The customers behind him were slowly backing away, as if trying to sneak past a mass murderer. He looked back to see them pressed against their seats in fear. One woman looked about ready to pass out. He raised his eyebrows and turned back to his brother. He was still smiling when Seth finally collected his thoughts and wits enough to speak.

"Y-You- Wha?- WHY DID TERRY FUNK GIVE YOU A **CHAINSAW**?!" he demanded to know. It was the first coherent thought in his mind as he looked over the pile of wood that used to be a table. Dean followed his gaze and yelled at the guy behind the bar, "I'll pay for that, put it on my tab!" "I understood the barbed wire bat, but a **chainsaw**?! Is that even **legal** in a match? And if you say anything about the indie days-"

"That was years ago. Besides, do you want me to kill Brock? As much as I'd love to, I'm not gonna. *pauses and tilts his head to the side* What's with that face? I'm not some psychopath who just got outta jail or somethin'. Relax. And before you even ask, yes, it's me." Seth visibly became a little less tense, but he was still worried on the inside. He couldn't help but wonder… "There you go thinking again. Remember what happened the last time?"

"Yep, and I wouldn't mind that happening again. Just, you know, not in public. And now that you're done destroying public property, you wanna get outta here? I came to get a drink, but… *gestures to the table's remains*" He nodded and, lugging the chainsaw behind him, followed Seth out.

XxX

Roman was pissed, there was no other way to put it. Not only had Hunter managed to escape his grasp, but Dean had gotten a chainsaw. A **chainsaw**. Of all the things to give him, why? A barbed wire bat is more than enough to punish Lesnar. In fact, he might just borrow it to pay Hunter back. First, he'd need to ask Dean where it was. To find Dean, he'd probably need to find Seth too. He was about to go out and find his brothers when he heard shouting in the hallway. It was Seth, and it did not sound good. "Dean, no! Stop! Are you crazy?!" He heard Dean chuckle darkly.

"Did you really just ask me that, Seth? **Me**? Do I seriously have to answer that question? Jon Moxley? The Lunatic Fringe, the Ambrose Asylum; anything ringin' any bells in that thick skull of yours?" Roman hears him start something up that sounded just like- Oh. Seth let out a strangled shout and thundering footsteps echoed out in the hall. Seth burst through the door, after fumbling with his key card, and slammed the door behind him. He had a terrorized look on his face.

"Rome!" he exclaimed, clinging to his older brother, "He's having too much fun with that chainsaw! You have to get it away from him, before-" As he's finishing his sentence, the deafening roar of a chainsaw could be heard outside the door. Roman slowly backed away, following Seth, until they were backed up against the wall. Dean shoved the chainsaw through the wooden hotel door and began to cut into it, until there was a hole big enough for him to walk through in front of him. He kicked the door, what was left of it, down and, with a triumphant smirk on his face, shuts off the dangerous weapon. He turns to see his brothers cowering on the other side of the room.

"Sorry if I scared you guys, I've always wanted to do that. They make it look so cool in the movies. I've got the badass look and everything to make it work! *glances between his brothers* Oh. Heh, sorry. *gently puts the chainsaw down and holds his hands up* Okay, we're good now." Seth stares at him bewildered.

"No, we most certainly are **not** good here! You just tried to kill us with a chainsaw!"

"Correction: I tried to kill that **door** with the chainsaw. I couldn't kill you guys. It'd be stupid if I tried."

" **I'm** gonna kill **you** if you pull another stunt like that again," Roman growled, getting off the wall and inspecting the damage that had been done. Dean chuckled.

"Ha! I'd like to see you try, big man. I've got all the toys, ya know. Plus this chainsaw. *gestures to Roman, in a fighting position* Come at me then." Roman snarls and prepares to maul his brother before Seth intervenes.

"Whoa, whoa, hold on guys! Dean, you're not helping anyone by scaring the shit out of everyone and provoking people. Roman, you're not helping anyone by trying to kill everyone who gets on your nerves. Can't we all just talk this out?" the two toned man asked. Dean stood up and leaned against the wall.

"Hey, I will if he does," the brunette responded. Seth looked back to Roman concerned.

"Talk? You wanna talk?! I'm tired of having to worry about you nonstop. Of having to make sure you're not in another hospital. I'm tired of waking up after having nightmares of you almost getting killed day in and day out. I refuse to just sit here while my brother slowly destroys himself on a weekly basis. I refuse to sit here and watch one of my lovers fight to the death against some arrogant asshole we could take on together!" he screamed, charging and spearing Dean into the wall with such an impact that cracks were formed. Seeing red, he began punching, kicking, and battering Dean to a pulp. The Lunatic Fringe had his hands up to block as many blows as he could. He could hear Seth shouting at Roman to stop, could feel his soulmate trying desperately to pull Roman away from him. He saw Roman elbow and shove Seth back across the room. Dean, not one to come to a fight unprepared, pulled out of his jacket that crowbar from last week. When Roman turned, he slammed it into his midsection, effectively stunning the man. Dean scrambled over to a floored Seth, who immediately starting checking Dean for any injuries. Well, there'd be a few bruises, but otherwise nothing. Roman was on his knees, vision back to normal, looking down at his sore, reddened hands. Tears streamed down his face at what he'd done. A lot of his pent up aggression over the past few weeks had been taken out on Dean and partially Seth. He turned to his wounded brothers.

"Dean… Seth," he whimpered in a broken voice, "I didn't mean to- I just- I don't know what happened. I… all I saw was red, and I just-"

"Haha! I kinda *winces when Seth touches his face* deserved that anyway. Ow. You know how to hold your own Ro, Jesus... It's okay. Really. *flashes him a pained smile* Everyone has those days-" Seth interrupted him before he could finish.

"What kind of person takes out his brother, no, his **lover** because he's about to lose his temper? What kind of person just explodes and directs it towards his family? What _**monster**_ does that?!" Seth demanded, outraged. Dean slapped Seth at his word choice, leaving a pink hand imprint on his cheek. "Ow! What was-"

"I said he was fine, Seth! What kind of person turns on his family because they argue a little and aren't exactly on the same page? How could you say that to Roman? Did we give **you** that kind of shit when you turned your back on us? No! What makes you think you can do that now?!" Dean questioned, temper starting to get the best of him. Roman stumbled backwards toward the door, mind working a mile a minute. ' _Am I a monster_?' he asked himself. He hadn't exactly kept himself in check the last few weeks, and now tonight. He'd been more on edge and angry than in his entire life. What was wrong with him?! And his thoughts reverted back to the same question as they left the hotel later that night to cover some of the distance to the next show, ' _Am I a monster?_ '

Closing A/N: To combat the onslaught of fluff you've been recieving all story, here's a little despair and darkness. Hey, they were bound to have a falling out eventually. Things will start to look up for the SHIELD. When that'll happen, well… you'll have to wait and find out. Reviews?


	21. Tensions Rise & Fall

Chapter Twenty One: Tensions Rise and Fall

A/N: *lets out a long breath* It's good to watch RAW again after two months of my parents hogging the tv (as usual)! I couldn't resist, so I started writing during the show. Emma is just… wow. Talk about a total makeover. Then there was the whole Roman and Triple H fiasco. And I couldn't stop laughing when Dean went shopping for weapons during Paul Heyman's usual rant. Well, that's some random stuff floating around my head. Moving on to chapter 21. Sorry this is late! Track in outdoor season is busy as heck w/ a couple of meets a week. I'll try to have chapter 22 up a little sooner after this is posted. And sorry in advance if it becomes random towards the end. I'm trying to get this up as soon as I can. The drama in the SHIELD dissipates… and then it continues.

The car ride to the next city was spent in silence. None of the three could look at each other. They hadn't really spoken since that night. Seth put as much distance between himself and Roman as physically possible. Dean was left to deal with the repercussions. He had tried to start up conversations with them both, lighten the mood, try and mend some of the damage done. His efforts were in vain, however. By the end of the weekend though, things were starting to get better. Seth was much less cross with Dean (he could never stay mad at him for long anyway), sometimes speaking with him, cuddling with him in his better moods. It was mostly small talk or necessary questions, but it was something. Dean also got Roman to start talking a little again. He blatantly ignored Seth, but was willing to engage in a conversation with Dean every now and then. He was still torn up about the whole "monster" thing, but Dean kept assuring him that it was never an issue to begin with. Fix his relationship with each brother? Check. Fix his brothers' relationships with each other? Not that simple.

For the life of him, the Cincinnati native couldn't even get his brothers to **look** at each other, much less say a word. Every time he brought Seth up to Roman, the subject would be changed. Every time he brought Roman up to Seth, there would be some not so nice things said and he'd be stuck with a moody boyfriend until dinner. Back in the original SHIELD days, Seth was the one who sorted out everyone's problems. Now that Dean had been forced to take on the responsibility, nothing was getting solved. But, one day, he was woken up and the situation seemed to solve itself.

Seth had awakened from his good dream (reliving the SHIELD's debut match) to the sound of thunder and rattling windows. He gulped, thankful for taking the side of the bed away from the outside, and tried to calm himself down. ' _It's just the rain. Weather can't hurt me in here_ ,' he told himself. He slowly shook his boyfriend.

"Dean," he hissed, "Dean! Wake up. Baby, hey!" When he got no response, he huffed silently and pressed a rough kiss to his lover's lips. Dean groaned and kissed back before telling Seth, "Not righ' n'w, Seth. I w'nna sleep." A crackle of lightning across the sky made Seth jump and double his efforts to wake Dean. He proceeded to insistently poke and prod his boyfriend. When that didn't work, he pulled Dean into a sitting position and started shaking him hard.

" **What**?!" the brunette snarled, still half asleep. Seth buried his face in his boyfriend's chest when as windows shook once more. Dean understood when he felt Seth start shaking. It was thunderstorming. Seth hated thunderstorms, lived in fear of them. "Shh. It's okay, babe. I'm right here. Nothing's gonna hurt you." he cooed reassuringly. Roman must have heard them, because he was sitting up on the other bed, confused and awake-ish.

"Is Seth freakin' out over the storms _again_?" he mumbled sleepily. Dean nodded to him. Seth stopped shaking and turned at the sound of the Samoan's voice, looking his oldest brother in the eyes for the first time in a week. There was something about Roman's voice that could calm anyone in situations like this. They were silent, neither wanting to be the one to break the silence. Dean prepared himself for the argument that would surely ensue. Seth claiming that he wasn't scared and Roman snapping back saying he was. They'd be going back and forth for hours. Finally, after a minute of soul search staring, Seth spoke.

"Hey, Rome," he whispered. He smiled shyly, hoping he didn't get a death glare in return. It seemed that he would, until Roman broke out into a grin the size of Vince McMahon's ego.

"Hey, Seth," he whispered back happily. He crawled out of bed and joined Dean in holding Seth in his arms. Seth sighed contently and in relief at having his brothers back on somewhat the same page. "Seth, I'm so-"

"Don't. Don't say you're sorry. **I'm** sorry. For being the biggest jackass ever and blaming you. You've had a rough couple of weeks. It's like Dean said, "Everyone has their bad days." You just had one and we made it worse. I didn't mean anything I said. I never meant to-"

"Don't start. I know you didn't mean it. I know you were upset. I'm not mad, I never was."

"You'd think **I'd** be the one saying that," Seth snickered. Dean smiled while stroking Seth's blonde patch. This problem was resolving itself. This might be easier than he thought.

"And I can't stay mad at you. I love you, baby boy." Seth sat up at that. He looked at Roman puzzled.

"Baby boy? First it was Dean with babe, now you?" Roman's face fell a bit as he replied.

"Always wanted to call you something special, ya know? It was the first thing I thought of that fits. Got a nice ring to it, doesn't it?" he asked. Seth chuckled.

"Yeah, I like it." When a bright flash of lightning illuminated the hotel room, Seth yelped and clung to his brothers. His fear of storms was something that dated back to his indie days. He was carpooling with a friend, before he met and got to know Dean, in a storm when lightning nearly struck their car, sending them swerving off the road and flying into a cluster of thick trees. The front of the car was crushed and flattened. Seth had no idea how his friend was even alive after taking the brunt of the impact. He was told the damage he received nearly put him into a coma. Since then, he's been afraid that a storm would try to claim him as its next victim. Dean felt for his lover. All the trauma in his childhood contributed to most of the problem and fears he had today. He and Roman tried as best they could to calm Seth down and, soon enough, they all fell asleep in each other's arms.

XxX

Seth groaned during Paul Heyman's speech. Rehashing the same thing every week and expecting people to still be interested in what he had to say was not working in the slightest. That and Seth's lack of sleep, sugar, and coffee was not helping him. He had dozed off in the middle of the discussion when Dean's music went off. Seth was startled awake as Dean emerged from backstage, brandishing a red wagon with his signature logo on the side. Everyone was as puzzled as he was as Dean wheeled the wagon to ringside. Paul and Brock were somewhat amused by this. Seth pulled out his phone and texted Roman, who was getting ready for a match. _r u seeing this? what's gotten into him?_ He got the reply of _who knows? it's Dean. what's it_ _matter?_

"What's it matter? Are you serious, Roman?!" he hissed to himself. _i can't believe u. u get mad because he's always putting himself in harm's way. now u suddenly don't care?!_ Seth refused to believe that. Roman cared too much about the both of them to just brush this aside like it was nothing. He was pulled from his thoughts by another text. _like I said, it's Dean. he's doing what he normally does. relax y don't ya_. Seth's frustration at his brother grew. Hadn't they just made up that morning? And now this? _we're not done here. i'll find you later. and when I do…_ He got the reply of _I'll b waiting_ before the black and blonde superstar turned his attention back to the monitor.

Dean was nonchalantly throwing various weapons into his wagon. First, it was the crowbar. Then, it was steel pipes. He picked up a baseball bat, but tossed it back under the ring in favor of taking "Barbie", his present from Mick Foley. He reached back under the ring and grabbed a fire extinguisher, tossing that in the wagon as well. He takes a kendo stick and throws it wherever, not noticing it bounce off the floor and into the ring at the Beast Incarnate's feet. Brock retrieves it and wields it like a lightsaber, trying to be prepared if Dean tried to attack. The Lunatic Fringe paid him no mind, smiling as he added Terry Funk's chainsaw to his weapons collection. He even took a pair of nunchucks and started swinging them around! The whole time, Seth was wondering, 'What the Hell is he doing?' The Ohioan glanced at the wagon, noticing it was still half empty. He ran and kicked the steel ring steps, lifting up the top half and placing it into the red vessel. He gave a satisfied nod and began to head backstage, wagon of toys in tow. The whole time, Brock's eyes never left Dean, waiting for the impending assault. Dean hadn't even looked at him, as if Brock wasn't even there.

Seth had had enough. Dean was doing God knows what with those weapons, Roman was still acting like a child throwing temper tantrums, and he couldn't do a thing about it. He hopped off the crate he was sitting on and went to go find Roman in the locker room. He kicked the door open, making a few superstars inside cringe as the slam reverberated through the silent room. Roman glanced up and did a double take when he saw Seth standing there, fuming and defiant. The others in the locker room, Dolph, Cody, R-Truth, and Dean himself stared in confusion as he made his way over to Roman. They were in each other's faces, staring each other down. "What're you gonna do, Seth?" Roman challenged, to which Seth replied with a step back and a picture perfect dropkick. The former world champion crashed into some lockers before regaining his balance and sending Seth a death glare. Immediately, Roman charged at him and hit him with a devastating spear. Seth was dizzy and winded before he felt the blows begin to land. Dean, on instinct, ran to Seth's aid, tugging Roman off of him.

"ENOUGH!" Dean thundered, punching Roman square in the jaw and putting space between his brothers. Cody and Dolph restrained Dean just in case while R-Truth helped Roman up. The Samoan threw his arm off, tense like an angry bull. Seth winced and gingerly got to his feet, holding his ribs. The SHIELD members locked eyes with each other, making the other three superstars wary. They kept a firm grip on the two in case they tried to fight things out. "I've had it with you two! All week, I've been trying to get you guys back on the same page. I've tried to get you to talk it out so this doesn't happen. This morning, I thought we fixed this? We were all cuddling together, as girly as that sounds, just keeping each other company, keeping each other safe… Why are you fighting again? We're brothers, we're lovers, we're family. We're supposed to have each other's backs, not be the reason we're watching our backs! Please," the brunette begged with a heartbroken look on his face, "Just stop this…" He broke free of the two's grasp and headed out of the locker room. It wasn't lost on Seth and Roman that their brother had let a tear slip during the exchange. Dean doesn't cry. Ever.

"Jon, wait!" Seth cried, running after him. Roman followed closely behind him. Knowing him and his destructive nature in times of distress, he could be beating himself up, literally, in a bar, or worse. They looked down the hallway, hoping he hadn't gone too far. He was nowhere in sight.

"Son of a bitch," Roman muttered, "Okay, you've known him longer, Colby. *turns to Seth* What would he do? Where would he-" He didn't get a chance to finish his question before he was enveloped in a tight embrace. Seth rested his head on Roman's shoulder, not wanting to let him go.

"I'm sorry, Joe. For everything. I don't wanna fight anymore. I just… I just want us to be us again. *lets go reluctantly and takes a step back* Right now, we need to find Jon. Fast." As soon as he said that, the other three emerged from the locker room.

"Hey," Dolph called, "We'll take this side of the building. *motions to the left* We'll text you if we find him." Seth and Roman nodded and continued their search. They looked in any room and opened just about any door, asked passersby if they'd seen him around, shouted his name, tried really hard not to panic. Roman was too angry to panic. Not at Seth or Dean or anyone else. At himself. When a stage manager came by to tell him Triple H was in the ring, the number one contender gave a nod and told someone to hit his music.

"Colby! *Seth stops and turns towards him* I've got business to take care of. I'll meet up with you after this." Seth nodded and ran out the arena. Roman was angry, and he knew the perfect person to take it out on.

 _"There is a lot at stake. This is not a game, this is real life. Millions of dollars are at stake on Sunday. And you can take your morality and shove it! I don't_ _care. This_ -" Roman had heard enough. His music hit and marched down the entrance ramp. The brawl was in Triple H's favor at first, stunning Roman by slamming his head into a steel ring post. He turned the tide, however, by tossing Hunter into the barricade. He then proceeded to clothesline him over it into the timekeeper's area. When that happened, seemingly the whole roster came down the ramp to break the two up. After all, Wrestlemania was still six days away. The rest was a blur to Roman, who's mind was only half focused on the task at hand. He went on to give Triple H a own medicine by slamming his face repeatedly into an announce table. Things ended up back around the ring somehow and Roman, probably due to his adrenaline and anger, found himself flying over the top rope into the sea of superstars trying to keep them apart. It wasn't long before Roman stood up, a victory under his belt heading into the biggest match of his career. At the moment, however, that wasn't his concern.

Roman appealed to the crowd, showing off a bit. When he felt he'd been around the ring long enough, he rushed backstage and headed towards the exit. As he made it to the door, his phone went off. He hit the accept call button. "Colby, please tell me you found him," he gasped, still somewhat out of breath from earlier. There was rustling in the background on the other end of the line before he got an answer.

"Yeah. He was pacing outside on the other side of the arena. After he ran his shoulder into a wall. And kicked someone's car. I feel sorry for 'em, because that's a pretty big dent." Roman laughed in relief. "Oh, and Mox says hi. He wants to rip us both to shreds, but he's waiting for you to come find us. We're out by the Camaro." Roman gave a quick, "Be there soon." and hung up. He pushed, more like shoved, the door open and headed in the direction of his brother's beloved car. Standing there, as promised, were his two (one and a half?) brothers. Seth perked up when he saw Roman, walking over to him with a scowling Moxley in tow. They needed to calm him down if they wanted to talk to Dean. Roman, either oblivious to this fact or not caring, headed straight for said scowling person (Personality? Roman wasn't even sure anymore.) He wrapped his arms around Moxley and pulled him close.

"Hey, Mox," he whispered softly, "I wish we could be talking at a better time, but… you know…" Roman said to the alter, who was stiffer than a board with surprise, but still tense. "Tell Jon we're sorry. And that we made up. Unless you wanna stick around…"

"I-I don't-" Moxley barely got out before he felt Seth join in the hug. He didn't know what to do. He knew their affection was directed towards Dean and not him, but it felt like… "What are you doing?" he finally asked. Roman let go, not as skilled at dealing with Moxley and deciding to leave things to Seth. Seth turned him around and pulled him into a searing kiss. He tried to fight it at first, struggling to push his main personality's boyfriend away, but Seth kept an iron grip on him. Eventually, Moxley relaxed into it and kissed back. He whimpered as the two toned man slowly pulled away. "Why?" was all he could say.

"Because you're a person too. I was kissing **you**. Not Dean. And, um, I kinda want my boyfriend back without getting punched in the face…" Seth murmured. Moxley chuckled.

"You could've asked, ya know. After I got a few good shots in on you two, anyway." Seth smiled nervously and Roman raised an eyebrow as Moxley closed his eyes and became as still as a statue. After a few seconds, he took a deep breath and opened his eyes. They slowly turned back to that bright, full of life, deep blue they usually were. After blinking a few times, he spoke.

"*groans* I feel like I just got hit over the head with a sledgehammer… So, you made up with Roman, babe?" he asked Seth. The other two laughed and embraced him. He hugged back before addressing another interesting thing he learned "on the inside" as he liked to think of it. "And… were you just kissing Mox?" Seth blushed and looked away, choosing not to answer that. Roman cleared his throat to get their attention.

"If you lovebirds are done, some people want a shower and some food **before** morning gets here. Sort out who's cheating on who later. I actually **want** to get back to the hotel!" Dean smirked and tossed his big brother his keys. Roman caught them and looked up at Dean with curiosity.

"Seth got to drive, it's only fair." He pulled Seth into the back with him as Roman started the engine and drove them back to the hotel. Dean crossed another thing off his mental checklist. Fix his brothers' relationship with each other? Check. Next: Destroy Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania.

Roman had a mental checklist of his own that he reviewed as they pulled into the hotel parking lot. He'd crossed out and added so many things, he could hardly keep up these days. Deliver payback to Triple H? Check. Make amends with Seth and Dean? Check. His new main objective? Win the WWE World Heavyweight title at Wrestlemania.

A/N: For those of you confused about the sudden turn of events involving Seth and Roman comforting Moxley, I'll be posting a one-shot that further explains why they suddenly get along better. Again, sorry if some points of the chapter seem random, I've had a really brain scrambling week. Thanks to all the readers for their continued support of this fic! Can I possibly get more reviews from different people? Maybe?


	22. In Which Roman Reigns Supreme

Chapter Twenty-Two: In Which Roman Reigns Supreme

A/N: *smirks at idea of a title name* So, I heard about Wrestlemania, even watched the kickoff show. Y'all will already know my opinion on the Street Fight match. As for some of the other match outcomes… *growls* Whoever writes some of these storylines, I will find you. HUGE congrats to the Broski who won the IC title! It's about time he got what was due, go Zack! I thought that until I saw RAW. *sigh* Miz is champion. *sarcastic woo* Anyway, this chapter follows 'Mania and the RAW after. There's even a short and steamy post-'Mania scene. Also, sorry that I'm, like, 2 weeks behind on chapters. Life hates me right now. Back to back track meets and math hw are exhausting me! Since you don't really get lots of these, here's a Roman centered chapter for ya!

He'd done it. After years of hard work, of dreaming of this moment, of overcoming the odds, he'd won. Roman had won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania. He didn't know if he'd let tears slip in front of the WWE Universe, but he definitely did backstage and in front of his brothers. A piece of the puzzle of their near impossible plan had fallen into place. Kalisto held the U.S. title, after a hard fought battle against Ryback last night, and, surprisingly to Roman, Zack Ryder held the Intercontinental title after an upset win in a 7-man ladder match. The New Day was keeping the tag team titles safe. With a loss to the League of Nations though, the brothers were worried about the titles changing hands. They believed in Xavier, Kofi, and Big E, but the Authority could be the conniving snakes that they were and find a way to rip the titles away and out of their reach. He contemplated that and more as his family and two best friends rushed to embrace and congratulate him. The Rock, Jimmy and Jey, Sika, Particia, Rikishi, Seth, Dean, Galina, and Joelle surrounded him with love, appreciation, and a mix of so many other emotions. You could feel the excitement in the air as they all left the arena, hoping to avoid being swamped by rabid fans. Galina proceeded to run up to Roman and pull her husband down into a passionate, slow, and steamy kiss that left the champ breathless and feeling like he was on cloud nine. (He would ignore the whistles and cat calls from his brothers.)

"You did it, Uce! You did it!"

"I'm so proud of you, son!"

"You took him down, and you even got Stephanie. Way to go, Rome!"

"You're on your way to being a great wrestler in this business, I can feel it!"

"That's our boy! I knew you could do it, Ro!"

Roman remained speechless at the amount of praise he was receiving. He knew there would be haters to deal with wherever he went, but right now was not one of those times. Right now he could rest easy. Come tomorrow, he'd be the man with the biggest target on his back on the roster. Not to mention he'd have to look over his shoulder for Triple H. **That** was one problem he definitely wasn't going to deal with tonight. Tomorrow would be a time for planning and worrying. Now was a time for celebration. So, they went out, celebrated, had a bit of fun before Roman had finally told everyone he was tired and would love nothing more than to rest. They all respected his wishes and left him and the boys at the hotel. Galina, being the happiest for her husband, pulled his two lovers aside. "I know he's going to want to be with the two of you, so make him feel special tonight. We all know he deserves it. Show him just how much you appreciate him."

"Don't **you** wanna do that?" Dean asked her with a confused expression on his face. She sighed happily yet sadly at the same time. "I mean, you're his **wife** , ya know?"

"Of course I do. But he's in love with you both, not just me. We love each other more than almost anything. And I understand that that means he may love you two more than me. He'll want to spend the night resting with you, so make sure he knows how much you love him." she replied.

(Seth) "Is there a line anywhere? I mean, there's gotta be boundaries here. You guys are **married** after all. So I'm assuming we can't have-"

"As crazy as this is going to sound… no. There is no line. But if he somehow, in some impossible way, gets _pregnant_ or something…" she threatened, not being able to keep a warm smile from gracing her lips, "You shouldn't leave your phone lying around our house so often, Colby. **Fanfiction** , of all things…" Dean almost laughed his head off while Seth chuckled nervously as they gave Galina a parting hug and hurried to catch up to Roman.

XxX

Seth was kind enough to carry Roman and Dean's bags for them and drag them into the room before both brothers collapsed on their beds. Dean immediately started to groan and moan in pain. Roman and Seth snickered guiltily, knowing their brother was in serious pain and feeling sorry for him. They warned him that he wouldn't leave the match unscathed. That Brock Lesnar would put him in a world of hurt, winner of the match or not. But did he listen? Nooooo. Dean moaned, "EVERYTHING HUUUUURTS!" Getting F-5'd on a pile of steel chairs was **definitely** not fun. "I didn't even get to use the barbed wire bat or the chainsaw!" Roman tried unsuccessfully holding back a laugh, to which Dean slowly sat up to. "Oh, you think that's funny? *gingerly gets up, holding his midsection and wincing* Is **this** funny?!" At that, Dean, somehow, leaped off the bed he was sharing with Seth and tackled Roman. He instantly regretted it, but it was worth it when he managed to snag Roman's title and began running around with it over his shoulder. All the time, Seth was rolling around the bed clutching his sides as the new champ chased his soulmate around the hotel room. Dean was always full of energy apparently (except in the mornings).

"Dean! *pant pant* Give it back! Get your own damn title!" Roman shouted.

Dean cackled madly, "I just did!" (He admitted to himself, it would be nice to get a title shot, but he wouldn't be impatient about it. He owed his life to pro wrestling. If he had to wait ten years for another title, he would wait. Wrestling was the reason he had two sexy lovers in the room with him right now for God's sake!) He pitched the title to Seth, who caught it and played Keep Away with him. Roman gave up, choosing to take a shower over getting his title back. "C'mon, Ro. You're gonna miss all the fun!" Roman smiled and flipped him off before making his way into the bathroom. He closed the door before stripping down and taking a few deep breaths. He was so thankful for Seth and Dean. It was the things like this that made his day. Stepping into the shower, he closed his eyes and let his mind wander as the hot spray of water washed away all the worry and stress of the night. By the time he was clean and relaxed, his mind was focused on two things. One: He was the champ. He'd have to deal with that tomorrow and fight through the fatigue threatening to overtake him. Two: He had two brothers he wanted to be with at the moment. He'd try to cheer Dean up, being injured and losing his match and all, and try to soothe his pain. He'd keep Seth company, still feeling guilty after last week and wanting to make it up to him. He wrapped a towel around his waist and stepped back into the room.

 **#Explicit**

Dean and Seth were sitting on their bed conversing, the title laid across Roman's pillow. They looked up when they heard the bathroom door open. Dean smiled, a real, genuine smile he reserved only for them, and walked over to Roman. He took his hands and lead him slowly back to his bed. Seth pulled him onto the bed, climbing up with him and giving him a slow, love filled kiss. Roman moaned as Seth loosened the towel he was wearing. "What's gotten into you two?" he asked a little higher pitched than normal after pulling away. Seth ignored him and started kissing and nipping at his neck, leaving marks galore. Dean dove in for a brief kiss to Roman, muttering, "I love you. I love you more than you know." He then ripped the towel away from his waist and took him into his mouth. The Samoan threw his head back and let out a long, low moan, grabbing and fisting his hands in the bed sheets under him. Seth then started massaging and kissing every other inch of Roman he could reach.

"You mean *kiss* so much to us. You are *kiss* the most *kiss* talented, *licks upward* hardworking, *bites a nipple* caring, *swirls his tongue around it* dedicated, and special lover we'll ever have. And we will and always will *does the same to the other * love you." Seth whispered, pouring his heart out to Roman. He would've replied if he could form a coherent thought. The dual points of pleasure weren't helping, but he wasn't complaining. _'I... love you both…_ _ **so much**_ ,' was what kept running through his head. All the while, he was letting out little gasps, moans, groans, and trying not to come completely undone. Meanwhile, Dean was sucking and lapping at him. When Roman groaned out Seth's name, it made him moan, sending vibrations and waves of pleasure throughout Roman's lower regions. The champion bucked his hips upwards, hitting the back of Dean's throat. This only caused Dean to moan louder as the process repeated itself. "Don't stop!" Roman blurted out without thinking. Soon enough, he went over the edge, moaning out both his lovers' names.

 **#Explicit End**

Roman was trying to catch his breath, still coming down from his high. Seth was giving him a back massage while Dean had locked lips with him. He could taste himself in the kiss, deepening it and wanting more in his blissed out state. "Why'd you do it?" he finally managed to get out after a few tries.

"Because we love you and you're the champion. You're **our** champion," Dean told him. That was a good enough answer for him. Seth finished the massage, curling up next to Roman on the bed. Dean joined them and they all slept with peaceful smiles on their faces.

XxX

' _Well, that could've gone better_ ,' Roman thought to himself, sitting backstage in his private locker room. He had a title match against AJ Styles in the not too distant future. Going against such an experienced, well known star was not helping his nerves. He had not expected the crowd to boo him like they had either. It was the after 'Mania crowd though, so every fan out there was crazy tonight. ' _I feel like John Cena on a bad night. I beat Triple H. I took the title away from the Authority, and_ _ **this**_ _is how you thank me_?' He had his supporters, but the number of disapproving fans was overwhelming. He couldn't hate on the crowd for feeling that way. It didn't matter though. The only opinions that mattered were the ones of his Shield brothers, telling him he was the most important person in the world to them. And he believed that.


	23. Unlikely Allies & Lunatic Talkshow Hosts

Chapter Twenty-Three: Unlikely Allies and A Lunatic Talk Show Host

A/N: For the sake of saving time and catching up on chapters, I'm combining this and last week's episodes of RAW in this chapter. Until the summer, when school worries disappear- No wait, Cross Country and Band Camp- almost altogether, I won't have much time to write chapters with sports and academics. Hence the late chapters. Anyway, who: A) Never saw the Bray/Roman teaming up and not murdering each other thing coming? B) Laughed to death when Dean Ambrose got his own show and hijacked the Highlight Reel?! And C) Hopes that this week was the week that Roman turned heel? Shane running RAW has been amazing, and I hope that doesn't change anytime soon. Then the die-hard fan in me remembers the pre-Authority days… Well… That said, let's get on with chapter 23. Disclaim: I am not in any way affiliated w/ WWE, it's characters, etc. I'm just a WWEFanGirl who loves writing Ambrollins fanfiction!

Seth was having a hard time keeping a straight face. Actually, he couldn't keep one to save his life at the moment. He couldn't stop smiling. He was watching his goofball of a soulmate barge into the ring, hand Jericho a piece of paper, and hijack the Highlight Reel. Over one of the TVs in the ring was a sign that read the Ambrose Asylum. Chris's outraged face said it all. And Seth thinks he started almost drooling when he saw Dean put a clip-on tie on.

Earlier...

(Chris Jericho) "... Shut your damn mouths and listen to what I have to say… Yeah. Shut up, because tonight is a monumental night. Tonight is the biggest Highlight Reel of all time because tonight, I have as my guest the biggest star in WWE history here tonight." The crowd seems excited, expecting a legend or fan favorite to be announced. That was, unfortunately, not the case. "He's a multiple time World Champion, he's main evented Wrestlemania, he is a future Hall of Famer. Tonight is the biggest Highlight Reel of all time because my guest tonight… is me." The fans let their disapproval be heard. Typical Y2J, boasting about himself. He had a sort of double interview, asking and answering his own questions. "So Chris, let me ask you this: To what do you owe your ridiculously huge success in WWE? *switches sides of the ring* Well Chris, I owe my success to myself." The conversation of sorts started that way. That's when Dean came strolling down the entrance ramp with a piece of paper, a sign, and potted plant in his hands. "Hey, idiot! What the Hell are you doin'? This is my show!" Jericho yelled. Dean turned to him uninterested.

"Oh yeah, this is my show now. *shoves a piece of paper at him*"

"To whom it may concern: Effective immediately, the Highlight Reel with Chris Jericho has been **canceled**?!" The WWE Universe was ecstatic and Chris, to say Chris was outraged was a major understatement. "And will be replaced by the _Ambrose Asylum_?!" He looked to the sign hanging on a tv screen and back to the document in his hand. "Hosted by Dean Ambrose?! Signed Shane McMahon?! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?! HUH?!" Dean went and stood by Y2J, facing sideways to the ramp, holding a microphone and straightening a tie that had come from nowhere. He turned to Chris and asked, "Is my tie on straight? I've never hosted a show before. I'm actually a little bit nervous about this. Do I look okay?"

"THIS IS MY SHOW-"

"I'm good? Good. Okay, here we go. *clears his throat* Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the _Ambrose Asylum_!" Everyone clapped and cheered. That's one way to kick off your first show. "Please welcome my first guest, Chris Jericho!" The crowd didn't seem very glad to have him be the first guest on Dean's show. "Hey, don't. Don't boo my guests, 'cuz they are my guests. Now Chris, the whole world wants to know: ...What is up with that scarf, dude?" Seth chuckled. That was his boyfriend. Adorably funny. Adorable. There's a word most people don't associate with Dean Ambrose. Adorable Ambrose. Unless you're a fangirl or fanboy.

" *crumples the letter* I know what you're tryin' to do here. You're trying to interrupt me because I interrupted your little victory celebration on last week's Smackdown! Let me tell you this Ambrose, I don't interrupt because I don't have to play by the rules. I have reached legendary status here in the WWE. There's no repercussions, no rules. I go where I wanna go, I say what I wanna say, and I do what I wanna do. And if you were smart, you'd keep your nose clean, or _**I will bury you**_." he whispered menacingly. Dean looked at him as if he was contemplating an actual answer.

"So you're not gonna tell us about the scarf?" Chris had had enough, slapping the microphone out of Dean's hand in anger. The Lunatic Fringe retaliated by giving him a boot to the gut and hitting him with Dirty Deeds. He ripped off his tie and tossed it onto the mat before picking it up and putting it back on to finish his show as his music hit. "Thank you, ladies and gentlemen."

XxX

Dean arrived backstage and was greeted by the joy filled laughs of his boyfriend and a smirking, arms crossed Roman. A smile the size of the moon was etched on Seth's face. "You! You just *snickers* hijacked the Highlight Reel! You just cancelled his show!"

"Which was pretty stupid," Roman scolded with a smirk, "but he had it comin'."

"I'll say! Ya know, I think I like having Shane running RAW."

"I'm glad to hear that boys," said the man in question. Shane was walking towards them with a smile on his face. They turned towards him with guarded looks, not sure whether or not they could trust him. "Don't worry. I come with good intentions. I know about your, quote on quote, plan to oust the Authority. Seeing my sister running the company for the last four years, with Triple H no less, has been a nightmare. It seemed like good idea at the time, and for a while, things were good. Ratings were through the roof, everyone was happy, Hunter got a chance to experience running things behind the scenes. Things were good. But something went wrong along the way. Very wrong. Call it abuse of power, call it being egotistical, call it a family tradition. My point is, I wanna help you." Seth narrowed his eyes at that. He didn't believe him for a second.

"Ya know who else gave me a speech like that, trying to get in my good graces and win me over? The Authority. How do we know you're not playing double agent for them, huh? Or doing this for your own gain? You **did** say abuse of power and out of control egos was a family thing and-"

"Seth, what could I gain from trying to help you? I'm the RAW GM at the moment, I could choose to make things easy or hard for you three, and I'm choosing easy. I'm a McMahon for God's sake! I don't want, nor do I need, anything from you. I'm doin' this out of-"

"The goodness of your heart?" Dean snapped, "Don't play games, Shane. No one does things without a reason. However small it may be. There's **always** a reason. Always a motive. And you know we don't trust easily…" He brushed his hand intentionally against Seth's who took it and held on firmly. Shane glanced at their intertwined fingers and back at Dean.

"You think I'd pull one over you like Seth did? Get close and then destroy from within? Do I look like my father to you?" Shane questioned, not quite understanding how deep the brothers' trust for each other ran.

"Seth had a reason! We didn't see it at first, but it was with good intentions. He protected us!" Dean shouted at him, temper rising dangerously fast. Shane didn't budge on the subject, however.

"By insulting and throwing lie after lie in your face? By throwing all of your history together as brothers into the fire? By claiming you mean nothing to him? That you were never brothers, always business associates? That you should be put in a straightjacket and locked in a rubber room-" The prodigal son never got to finish his sentence as, without warning, Dean leaped at him with a flurry of fists, throwing him against the wall and never slowing down the assault. Shane, to his credit, fought back, dishing out a few jabs and kicks to the gut before Roman could pull Dean off of him. The Cincinnati native, with inhuman strength, escaped from Roman's grasp, once again shoving Shane against a wall.

"Don't you talk about him like that you son of a bitch! Unless you wanna answer to **me** , **_keep your fucking mouth shut_**!" Shane was a lot more observant than people gave him credit for. Dean's eyes had darkened, his demeanor had completely changed, the way he moved, how he held himself. Dean Ambrose was not a violent person, even when he lost his temper. Shane had heard the rumors and stories, but he never thought…

"Mr. Moxley, I would assume?" The dark blue eyes widened a bit before the alter took a step back, hands still keeping Shane in place. "So the stories aren't just stories… interesting. And I can see you care deeply for Mr. Rollins if you're jumping to his defense. So that's true too. Another reason I want to help you with this." Seth put a hand on Moxley's shoulder.

"Mox. C'mon, babe. Let him go." For a moment, he didn't move. " _Mox_." With a dissatisfied sigh, the brunette let go of Shane. He brushed himself off and straightened his shirt. "I'm sorry Shane. He gets a bit… overprotective," Seth apologized. Shane shook his head with a slight smile.

"It's fine. But as I said, I want to help you. I know the gist of your plan. Gather all the championships and kick my family to the curb. How do you know you don't have traitors or spies in your midst? In the Shield? *they throw death glares at him* How did you think you'd get title shots? My siblings can't stand you. Roman obviously has a title, but it'll be up for grabs."

"Courtesy of you, we might add," said a scowling Roman. The man had been quiet for some time, worrying the other two. He'd been lost in thought, trying to map out the pros and cons of an alliance. "Say we trust you on this. When the Authority's gone, what'll you do?"

"I'll have full control over both shows and most of the company. I'll take their place in running WWE and fix the mess they left behind," was his simple answer.

"And how do we know that after you help us and you get to run the place, that you won't turn into the next Authority? How do we know you won't turn on us after the dust settles and the war is over?" he responded. The younger McMahon shrugged.

"That's the thing, you don't. It's either all in or all out. You can take a chance or you can keep flying solo and see where it leads you. Let's face the facts here. You have allies that consist of superstars and divas. You have no one upstairs with enough pull to make major decisions to help you. I'm offering my support. Take it or leave it." Shane held out his hand expectantly. The Shield boys exchanged looks. Could they really trust him? Even if he was lying, could they afford to not? With all he knew about their master plan, it might not be the best idea to refuse. He could completely destroy any chance they had of beating the Authority. He could also expose one of their biggest secrets (As if it wasn't already, but the fans didn't know yet. Then again, they probably suspected). Besides, he did have a few good points…

Seth hesitantly shook Shane's hand, hoping and praying that this would get them somewhere. By the look of it, all three men were. "You won't regret this guys. Trust me, I want them outta here just as bad as you do."

"Who told you about everything?" Roman asked him before they took their leave. Shane smiled over his shoulder and told him, "A certain red-headed Boss may have whispered it to me one day after work."

XxX

A week later…

Dean and Roman were seething at the moment. Roman had been ambushed by AJ Styles's old buddies from way back when. Just when he thought he could get a fair rival for once. AJ claimed to have had no idea that they would do that. Roman didn't believe him for a second. The timing, the intensity of the attack. Had to be planned. Having Bray Wyatt in the back of his mind didn't help matters either. Dean was a little upset, but not much. He was so used to being on the receiving end of a beat down that he was starting not to care anymore. He was decimating Kevin Owens in the main event Shane booked on RAW. He thought he'd finally stand tall for once and be able to enjoy a win. Not the case when you get on the bad side of Chris Jericho. Interrupting his show was one thing, but he has to go and attack him after his match? Because he's having a temper tantrum and internal crisis?

By the time the three head gotten back to the hotel, his brothers had completely ignored each other. Not because they were fighting, but because they were trying to avoid a fight. The tension in the air was so thick you could cut it a couple of times with a knife. Seth felt helpless, not sure who to speak with first and wanting to fix this as soon as possible. Since he knew he could calm Dean down in a heartbeat, he went to Roman. The oldest of the three was sitting on a bed holding an icepack to his head. Roman looked up, hearing Seth approach. "I thought you'd be with Dean," he uttered quietly. Seth went and sat next to him.

"He'll be fine. I was worried about you. When you got attacked, my heart stopped for a second. I wanted to run out there and help you. I wanted to hunt AJ Styles and his buddies down and make them pay. There's three of them and three of us. But the look on his face when he found you backstage… I don't know. I don't know anymore whether or not we can trust him. And I don't want to see you get beat down every week, chasing a rival like Dean was-"

"If you're trying to cheer me up, you're doin' a poor job," Roman said with a smile, making Seth sigh overdramatically, his lips quirking up at the corners.

"My point is," Seth continued, "I don't think we should count him out just yet. He might be telling the truth. But if they hurt you again, they'll wish they'd stayed in New Japan Wrestling," he finished with a growl. Roman was surprised that Seth being protective would put him in a better mood. He ruffled his little brother's hair and planted a brief kiss on his lips.

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?" the two toned man asked innocently. Roman raised an eyebrow.

"Back then and now, you've been a voice of reason and the guy who can comfort anyone with just a few words. You're gonna put me out of a job as a brother," he teased, faking being heartbroken. He was proud that his brother was still somewhat mature and encouraging after all the there of them had been through. Seth beamed and kissed him back, glad he hadn't disappointed his big brother yet.

"Don't think about it so much. He'll get what's coming at Payback." With that, Seth got up and headed downstairs. His soulmate would probably be pacing, running into a wall, or by his Camaro. He walked past Enzo and Cass, congratulating them on their big win against the Dudley Boyz, and out the front door. Sure enough, Dean was alternating between pacing across the parking lot and sitting and thinking about things on the hood of his beloved car. He watched, fascinated, for a few minutes before making his way over. "… His show… has the guts to say that to me… gives me a fucking headache…" were words he heard from a distance. And Dean accused him of thinking too much. Dean saw him before he had a chance to move though, and immediately stopped pacing when he did, looking up with lost eyes.

"Now's not a good time," he mumbled, plopping down on the hood of the Camaro and putting his head in his hands. His boyfriend walked over anyway and put an arm around him, trying to give the brunette as much comfort as he could. Dean automatically relaxed into his touch, laying his head down on Seth's shoulder.

"Tell me what's wrong, baby," Seth whispered gently. Dean sighed frustratedely.

"I'm sick of it, Seth. Sick of being set up to fail. Sick of proving myself over and over and getting nothing for it. Sick of the Authority. Sick of people hating on Roman when he deserves his title. Sick of all the crap we have to deal with on a weekly basis. I'm just sick of it…" he ranted, "I'm sick of never being able to fully show how much I love you in front of other people. Of having to keep so many secrets. Of losing allies and making more new enemies than we can keep up with. I never know who to trust, who I can turn to for help, who's on who's side. The only people I can really count on are you and Roman."

"I can't stand it either sometimes. Leading this whole operation, coming up with plans, making sure you two are safe, constantly worrying over everyone. It's rough right now. There's nothing we can really do but keep fighting. We'll get through this," he reassured him. Dean sighed again and sat up, taking Seth's hand in his own.

"I know. I just needed to get it outta my head and out in the open… Should we trust Shane?" The question that had been on everyone's mind since last week.

"I don't know, but Sasha does if she told him everything. Do you think-" Just as he was saying that, his phone vibrated. He turned it on and the diva in question was the person who had texted him, and she had two words for 'em. _i'm in_.

Closing A/N: I moved this here because I didn't want my opening notes to be so long. For those of you who read my notes, thank you for putting up with the craziness in my head. Let me just speak my mind for a second. To me, it seems like WWE is just playing a rerun on screen week after week with Roman. He says a lot of the same stuff, doesn't really have variety in some of his more recent promos, and seems to be stuck somewhere in between heel and babyface. Seeing as how the crowd loves to boo him and he's being a somewhat snarky champion, I think being a heel would be good for him. He did say he'd rather be respected with the belt than liked by the fans w/o it. Then, AJ Styles gets back with Anderson and Gallows and everything goes haywire. I'm just getting mixed signals here and I'm really confused about what message they're trying to send. Who's good, who's bad? Should we expect foul play? What is going on? Then, it looked like there would be a feud between Dean Ambrose and Y2J. Being a loyal Jerichoholic, I think that's spelled right, and Lunatic Fringe fangirl, I was all for it! I was pumped. Aaaaand now Kevin Owens gets to face Dean again. Sami Zayn vs Jericho sounds pretty interesting, but it's a veteran against a guy newly admitted to the roster. Sami is talented and can kick butt, but Jericho and his tactics *cough cough that eye poke* won't be easy to overcome. I could go on and on, but I did write a story and this is probably my longest author's notes ever. Huh, no wonder almost no one really reads them. I warned you they could get novel length. So yeah, that's just what's going through my head this week. Sorry for the rambling, but I needed to get it out of my system. P.S. Did anyone catch my DX reference at the end? ;)


	24. All Is Not What It Seems

Chapter Twenty-Four: All Is Not What It Seems

A/N: I was hit with an arrowstorm of inspiration, so you're getting a rare filler chapter! This'll basically take you behind the scenes of the other superstars and divas helping the SHIELD. It'll probably be Sasha centered, but it'll feature others, like New Day, a little of Sin Cara and Kalisto, maybe Charlotte, some Becky Lynch, AJ Styles, and more. It'll be up to the current point of the story and you probably won't see the boys in this one. I'll hit you with chapter 25 around next week. Huge thanks to KozueNoSaru, Sweet Elizabeth 27, and BigSister2 for leaving reviews, you're amazing beyond amazing! Y'all are much appreciated. Thanks to all of my readers as well. You guys are awesome too! Anyway, read, review, and enjoy!

Sasha was in tears and at a total loss of words. She may not have won the Women's title, but she certainly felt like it. It'd been a dream of hers as a kid to hold the title, to be the champion. She'd dreamed of being the Women's Champion even after they changed the belt to the Diva's Title. She'd given up everything to be here. Was she upset that she lost? Yes, of course she was, but it didn't matter. Sasha was part of something huge. The Diva's Revolution was in full swing, and she'd be there to witness and be a part of it. She had been in the match that introduced the title back into WWE. How awesome was that? She couldn't even get her thoughts together when she'd been interviewed. She was speechless at the moment. Even when she ran into Becky she was speechless.

"Great match tonight. It'll be one for the ages," the Lass Kicker told her, out of breath and in a similar state, "Aren't you upset that we lost?" Sasha shook her head.

"Normally, I would be. But this moment, this accomplishment for the Divas… I just… words can't **begin** to describe the feeling." Becky laughed.

"Yeah, I know what you mean... What does this mean for you and the Shield? I mean, you are still on their side regardless of the match's outcome, right?" Like every other supporter, she didn't know Sasha was a double agent/possible traitor. She knew that Sasha was between sides though, but leaning towards the boys. Becky had been one of the first divas to give her support to Seth, Dean, and Roman. She knew things needed to change and thought they could do it. She was the one who dragged Sasha to the meeting at the club anyway. Sasha thought about it for a moment. The Authority had gotten her this far, but that was starting to matter less and less with each passing day.

"Totally," she replied, still wanting a little more time to plan things out. One thing was for sure though: The Authority was going down, and she was going to help.

XxX

Kofi was doing his best to try and calm down a raging Xavier Woods. After their lost to the League of Nations, he'd just lost it. The New Day was always preaching about the power of positivity to the fans. Looks like they needed some themselves. "We just lost to those- those- Grrrr! I can't even find a horrible enough word to describe them!" Xavier shouted. Kofi raised an eyebrow.

"You can't find a good enough insult for them with your PhD? What was the point in getting it if you can't even use it for the simple stuff?" the West African said, trying to lighten the mood with little success, "And will you calm yo-self? We will be fine." The trombonist turned to glare at him.

"We will **not** be fine! We have a title match tomorrow and we just lost at Wrestlemania. And **I** was the one who got pinned! How awful and humiliating is that?!" Kofi had no words to comfort him, so he glanced at Big E. The big man shrugged his shoulder, to which Kofi replied with an outraged expression. It clearly said, "You're his boyfriend and you have no idea how to calm him down? Is this some kind of sick joke?" Big E silently groaned, hoping someone somewhere would grant him the patience to deal with this.

"Yeah, we did lose. But just imagine their faces when we win tomorrow. We can rub it in as much as you want. And then go celebrate. Sound good?" Xavier had that look on his face indicating he was deep in thought.

"Do **we** get to celebrate tomorrow?" he finally answered. Big E softly chuckled.

"If you want to." Kofi sighed and shook his head with a smile. What was he going to do with them?

XxX

AJ Styles was devastated yet excited at the same time. He may have lost his first Wrestlemania to Chris Jericho, but he'd gotten a match on the Grandest Stage Of Them All. He'd gotten a Wrestlemania match, and that was good enough for him. Ever since he'd started his wrestling career, AJ has set the goal of getting into the biggest and brand and cementing his legacy as one of the greats. Now that he was in WWE, he was well on his way to doing just that. And who better than to give him his first big push than Y2J himself? He was startled out of his thoughts when he heard someone yelling his name. "Hey, Styles!" a man shouted at him, definitely not sounding friendly. He turned to find the Ayatollah of Rock and Rollah himself heading his way. The look on his face told him Jericho still didn't like him. But then, then scowl turned into a lighthearted smile. "Great job out there. That's a Wrestlemania match to be proud of. One of my best yet!" AJ smiled at the praise.

"Pretty phenomenal match if I do say so myself," he replied. The two laughed and shook hands as if they were old buddies.

"Hey, don't get too cocky. I doubt this'll be the last we see of each other in the ring. You better be ready the next time we lay eyes on each other."

"Chris," he said, making his way to the locker room, "I was born ready."

XxX

Kalisto was buzzing with energy. He had proved once again that size doesn't matter in the ring. In certain situations sure. But in this kind of setting, with some over confident meathead looking to take his title, size would be his biggest advantage. Ryback thought that because he was "The Big Guy", that he had superior strength and an edge in this fight. He underestimated Kalisto, and that's what cost him. Being small had it's moments. Most of the time, you're faster, more agile, can get around the ring and slip through submission hold easier. A lot of, but not all, big guys were slower and their raw power was their only weapon. Ryback falls somewhere in between.

At the moment, Kalisto was celebrating his title retention with Sin Cara. The other half of the Lucha Dragons wished he could be in the ring with his boyfriend, supporting him, watching his back, entertaining the fans. Being back here would have to do until he was fully recovered. He didn't really mind that, seeing as how he could spoil his champion every time he had a match without having to worry about fans watching their interactions.

XxX

It had been just a few weeks since Wrestlemania. The New Day's situation had improved. They were taking it easy and scouting out the competition each week, waiting to hear their opponents for the Payback PPV. The fact that two new teams had made it to the finals was beyond them, but it was nice to see a new pair of faces challenge them for the titles. AJ's situation could go either way. He had two of his closest friends back, even if they had put him on bad terms with Roman, and was getting a title match soon, for the WWE World heavyweight Championship he might add. He'd have to watch his back, because an angry Roman is a dangerous Roman (Triple H was the first to learn the hard way), but he was confident heading into next Sunday. Kalisto had no worries. He was still the United States Champion, still in love with Sin Cara, and was handling everything thrown at him. Payback would be a piece of cake. Sasha was conflicted.

Sasha's mind was scrambled. Past conversations and situations played out in her head. She thought of her friends on both sides and how they would feel if they knew she was a traitor. She felt like the Fin meme from Star Wars. She had had a plan. She had it all worked out in her head. Made sure it was full proof, that there wasn't anything that could cause setbacks or for her to reconsider her decision. She had planned for both sides trying to convince her to join them. She prepared for the hate she would receive from either side. She picked her friends and allies carefully. Knew who to trust with what and when. She even planned how she would go about choosing. Bide her time, see how things turn out, be the deciding factor in this war, reap the benefits after her side gains a victory. That was her Plan A. Guess she forgot to create a Plan B.

She sat in the chair of the restaurant she had randomly selected, picking at the seafood she ordered and staring at her phone. She had planned on messaging Seth, asking him if they could meet up and talk. Now that she thought about it, it was a pretty stupid idea. She didn't know what she would say, how she would say it, what it would mean. She didn't want to do something she'd instantly regret. So she stared at her blank screen, trying to think of what to text him. ' _You have to decide,_ ' a voice in the back of her head whispered to her. She knew that. In a way, she'd already decided. When she told Shane about the boys, seeing as how he couldn't stand his family anymore, she thought she could trust him. He took most of it well (the whole Seth dating Dean thing threw him off a bit), and was understanding. He didn't ask any questions, just wanted some time to think and let all of the information sink in.

XxX

Flashback

 _It was right after RAW when Sasha decided to do the boys a favor. They had plenty of support from superstar, divas, and the fans, but had no leverage or support from anyone in the company itself. They didn't have anyone on the board of directors or anyone working under them up at the WWE HQ. There was, however, one person higher up who might listen to what she had to say. After the show officially went off air and the arena was closing for the night, Sasha decided to pay Shane McMahon a visit. He was in the GM's office, looking through the scripts for next week's show. He had a pen and white out, making adjustments here and there, frowning in concentration. It'd been a few years since he'd had a hand in business behind the scenes. The stress, the hours, the whole dealing with everyone. Whether it was, "Something's wrong with the tech station," or, "I can't find my ring gear,", "I don't understand my script. What does this mean and what do I do?" There was a reason he'd taken a few years off. The abundance of gray hairs on his head was proof enough of that. He was starting to look more and more like his father each day. That was something he definitely didn't want to happen. He looked up when he heard a gentle knock on his door._

 _"Oh, Sasha. *motions at a chair in front of the desk* Come on in. I was just *puts the scripts away* finishing up some paperwork for next week at the office." Sasha walks over and slowly sits down in the armchair. It's a lot more comfy than it looks. "So, Ms. Banks, what can I do for you?" The redhead fidgeted in her seat, trying to find a way to explain everything without revealing too much. You never knew who was on who's side when you dealt with a McMahon. And, contrary to popular belief, Sasha wasn't always the overconfident, cocky, outgoing diva she was on camera. Sometimes, like now, she could be nervous, shy. It wasn't a good look for her. Shane observed her for a second. "Let's narrow it down a bit then. Is this about you personally, or someone else?"_

 _"Someone else. Three someones actually. The Shield." Shane nodded, already knowing what the discussion would be about. Shane being, well, Shane, and a McMahon, heard many rumors and tall tales about certain superstars. Rumor has it that the Hounds of Justice are gathering support against the Authority. It reminded him a bit of Harry Potter gathering students and making Dumbledore's Army against the Ministry of Magic. "They have just about every superstar and divas' support who can't stand Hunter and Stephanie. Thing is, they don't have anyone with actual power in WWE on their side. Everyone they approached turned them down or told them they were trying to keep their jobs and not get fired by Vince. You, though. You don't seem intimidated at all and you have power up at HQ. So…" she trailed off._

 _"You're asking for my help on their behalf. Why don't they come down here and ask themselves?" Shane asked with a quizzical look. The Boss let out a nervous laugh, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear._

 _"Well… they don't exactly know that I'm here." Seeing his confused face, she sighs and begins to explain things to him, but not before asking, "I'm not tryin' to be rude, but can they trust you?" The current GM guffaws heartily._

 _"Is it because I'm a McMahon, or because I'm in charge? I can't give you a straight answer, but I can tell you that I can keep a secret. What I do depends on what I hear. *kicks back with his arms behind his head* I'm listening." Sasha takes a deep breath and begins. It starts with her recounting the Shield getting back together and the weeks that follow. Then, she gets to the part about the meeting at the club and how the boys' master plan came into existence. She'd just finished describing that part when Shane interrupts her. "Wait, wait, wait. I don't mean to be rude, but what the Hell are you talking about? Dean and Seth? Are you trying t_ o _be funny, because if you are, you're failing miserably._ "

 _"No! They really did kiss! Just outta nowhere! Then Dean starts talking about how they've been together for a while now and that they had a plan to-"_

 _"Alright. Just let me wrap my head around this for a second. No more gory details... *takes a deep breath* Continue, please." After explaining the general idea of their plan, Sasha proceeded to describe how she'd been somewhat of a double agent for the last few months. She'd befriended Charlotte and gotten close to the Authority, keeping her safe in the ring, shooting her up the ladder to success, and giving Dean, Seth, and Roman a line directly into the Authority's inner circle. She heard most of what they were planning to do on a weekly basis, warning the boys if something was up. She finished by telling him about the last few weeks and everything leading up to the current conversation. When Sasha was done, she looked up at Shane, who was deep in thought. This was… intriguing to say the least. "And where are you in all of this? Who's side do you stand on?"_

 _"Right now? Neither. I gotta look out for number one. If that means choosing a side, fine by me. For right now, I'm good working for both," she responded._

 _"Think about it this way: Do your friends on both sides know that you work for the Shield **and** the Authority? Imagine their faces when they realised you've played them all this time just to save your own skin. And what if you do choose a side and that side loses? What happens to you, to them, to everyone who's a part of this? Say I say yes, that I'll help them. That makes you the deciding factor of all this. You are the one who can tip the scale either way. Giving either side a critical edge in this war you're in. __**You**_ _, Ms. Banks, are the one person who could decide which side wins… or loses. That's what it's comes down to. Whether you like or not, you can't back out of this now. You're in too deep. And who knows, maybe your decision will influence mine." Shane didn't really mean the last few words he said. No matter what side she chose, he would help the Shield. (There was, and he would borrow his father's line for this, no chance in Hell he would ever help the Authority with this. Family meant everything to him. He would go to the ends of the Earth for them he cared for and (very, very deep down somewhere inside of himself) loved them so much. He didn't have one when his father smashed that picture of them together on the entrance ramp.) Shane just needed to see where Sasha stood._

 _"I still don't really know. I know what side I want to go to. But then again, there's a side I might need to be on if I wanna walk outta this whole thing alive…"_

 _"What does your head tell you?" She stared at him. If this was turning into one of those cheesy movie scenes where they tell you "follow your heart, it won't lead you astray", she was out of there. Regardless, she answered him._

 _"To pick the side that'll keep me from being in the line of fire. Pick the side that'll help me save myself."_

 _"And what does your gut tell you?" Sasha scoffed at that. "It's just a question. I just want an honest answer."_

 _"To kick the Authority's asses out of office and help them, the boys. Get rid of_ _the problem before it gets any bigger, any worse. But what does any of this have t-"_

 _"You just answered the question. You don't listen to your head do you? When it tells you in the ring to call it a day and quit, you don't. Because your gut tells you to work through the pain and you listen to that over the voice in your head. Feels like a scene from one of **those** movies, doesn't it? *Sasha laughs and nods*" Shane is chuckling softly with her._

 _"So does this mean-? Will you help them?"_

 _"I'll offer it. There's no guarantee they'll take it, seeing as how I'm me, but I'll try." Sasha expresses her gratitude and the two end up shaking hands. As she's turning to leave, Shane stops her. "Oh, and one more thing. *she turns and faces him* Don't forget to tell the boys." She nods again and leaves, fully intending on collapsing in her hotel room afterwards._

 _XxX_

Now, here she was. Eating a very late dinner and staring at her phone. Shakily, she picks it up and begins typing. It's only two words, but it feels like two paragraphs. She finally finishes typing, finger hovering over the send button. ' _i'm in_ ' it reads. It conveys all they need to know. No lengthy explanations or wasted sentences. She remained uncertain until Shane's words came back to her. " _You are the one who can tip the scale either way. Giving either side a critical edge in this war you're in._ _ **You**_ _, Ms. Banks, are the one person who could decide which side wins… or loses…_ " With one more determined deep breath, she presses send. She hopes she made the right choice as she lays a few bills on the table, leaving a generous tip, and walking out of the restaurant. ' _God, don't make me regret this boys_.'


	25. Struggles, Confusion, and A Ray of Hope

Chapter Twenty-Five: Struggles, Confusion, and A Ray of Hope

A/N: Chapter title is self explanatory. Not much to say this time, except that if the chapter seems random and jumbled, it is (just like my brain right now). Hello, writer's block. Long time no see. *sigh* References the past 2 RAWs and the Payback PPV. 25 chapters into this story! Wooooo, achievement earned! Ahem… I'm sorry if this is late. I have 2 other stories I'm working on that go on and off hiatus that I seriously need to update. Thank you to my loyal readers for being patient and sticking with this story! Read, review, and believe in the SHIELD. Disclaimer: I own nothing but my story and ideas. I'm just a WWEFanGirl! ;)

This was not looking good for the Shield. Roman had suffered a major beatdown from AJ Styles and his buddies, Gallows and Anderson. Dean was holding his lower back and slowly making his way backstage, still recovering from the Walls of Jericho on the announce table. Seth's master plan of overthrowing the Authority was in jeopardy after Vince McMahon's announcement. He was picking which of his children would run the company? He would without a doubt pick Stephanie, so their alliance with Shane would probably be short lived. Just when things were starting to look up for them, someone throws another obstacle in their path. Just great.

"I can't believe this! No, I **refuse** to believe this. I swear, if I could, I would fuckng **murder** someone if it wouldn't result in me getting fired!" Seth snarled, trying very hard not to drive his fist onto a very inviting looking wall, which was exactly what Dean was doing. Not only were their plans being ruined, but people had harmed his brothers. There was no way he would let them get away with that. Roman too looked like he was restraining himself: fists clenched, teeth gritted, eyes shut. Dean was roaring insults and profanities at the now blood smeared wall in front of him. The whole arena could probably feel the anger and tension radiating from the Hounds of Justice and, for their safety and to keep their lives, avoided them. Everything they'd worked for the last few months was about to shatter before their eyes.

"If I don't murder somebody first," Dean told him, launching his fists at the wall yet again, "Namely Jericho." Seth decided to throw a punch at the solid surface (because why the heck not?) and found that that did help a little with his anger. It still hurt like a bitch though. He grabbed the brunette's hands before he could do any more damage to himself. Roman glanced over and saw Seth examining the condition of Dean's hands. How could Dean do his to himself every other night?

"Why do you always do this to yourself?" Seth asked, cradling his boyfriends battered hands. He dragged Dean back towards the locker room, Roman following closely behind. Any superstar they met on the way cleared a path for them. When they finally got there, Dean did the usual: slowly wash the blood off his hands, dab it with rubbing alcohol, rewrap them with tape. While he did that, Seth plopped down on a bench with his head in his hands. "What are we gonna do? How are we gonna fix this?"

"Hope for the best. Hope the titles stay on our side and bide our time. It's all we really can do. Unless you've got a plan?" Roman said. Seth shook his head.

" *throws his hands up* Nothin'. Can't think of a thing. We'll have to wait until after Payback before we do anything drastic."

"If something drastic doesn't happen at Payback," Dean muttered angrily, grabbing his bag and riffling through it to find his keys. He tossed the keys to Seth, motioning for him to lead the way out.

XxX

"You had to say something last week, didn't you?" the two toned wrestler asked exasperated, " _Something drastic might happen at Payback_. Of course you would jinx it." Dean smirked at him from the backseat of the Camaro. It was Roman's turn to drive, which left Seth and Dean freedom to argue and fight. The Samoan could do nothing but drive and pray they didn't do something stupid.

"What're you complainin' 'bout? I kicked Jericho's ass, Ro's still champ, like Kalisto and New Day, and Shane still helps run RAW. What is so bad about that? Not to mention that seeing Shane and Steph argue on a weekly basis is gonna be hilarious. Don't worry about it." Seth frowned and turned around in his seat.

"How is anything gonna get done if they're arguing every night? How is our plan gonna move forward if they're too busy fighting with each other? I know they call **me** the Architect, but I know you're capable of thinking. You don't know what's gonna happen. If this'll all implode or if everything'll work itself out. Don't tell me not to worry. Anything could happen!"

"Guys, can we not? There's still another hour until we get to our hotel and I don't want to spend the rest of the drive with a pounding headache listenin' to you two bicker back and forth. Eyes on the prize guys," Roman stated from the driver's seat. Seth and Dean sighed. Dean leaned forward and pressed a tender kiss to Seth's lips, who eagerly reciprocated. "If you guys are gonna have sex, do it in the backseat. Actually, you haven't done that yet, have you?"

"What? No complaining or yelling at us for doin' this around you?" Dean questioned. Roman shook his head.

"At this point, I'm over it. Besides, I call dibs on Seth next drive."

"Wait a minute-"

"You don't call dibs on _**my soulmate**_ _._ If Seth wants to sleep with you, then be my guest. Until then, he's mine."

"It **is** your turn to drive to the next show…" Seth piped up.

"Traitor," the brunette whispered.

"You can share me, Dean."

"But you're **mine**."

"But Roman loves me too."

Dean did nothing but sigh and try to pull Seth into the backseat. He easily did so. Instead of going along with Roman's idea, they opted to cuddle as best they could. Seth snuggled into a smiling Dean's chest, trying to get comfortable. Dean hummed happily as he wrapped his arms around the smaller man and held him close. Roman was thankful, a soft smile gracing his lips at the two slumbering lovers.

XxX

Later after RAW…

Roman marched triumphantly to the locker room, title in hand and a tired smile on his face. Power bombing AJ Styles through that table felt so good. Being out there with Jimmy and Jey was amazing. It kind of reminded him of being in the Shield. If only. Dean would be more than happy to team with him again. However, he had a script and storyline to follow and a job he could lose. And Seth? Creative had no ideas for him at the moment (or so they said), medically cleared or not, so he couldn't really come out of nowhere and help his brother. No matter how close he was to doing so every night. It killed the three that they couldn't actually team together as the Shield at the moment. Dean had an angle going with Chris Jericho. Roman had his with Styles, Gallows, and Anderson. Seth didn't have one yet. Throwing the script out the window and saying, "Fuck it." wasn't an option, though it was tempting.

"Hey," Roman said when he heard his locker room door open, "What's going-?" He paused at the sight of a dirt covered Dean Ambrose. "On."

"He smashed Mitch," he replied sadly. Seth emerged from the shower dressed but shirtless, hair tied back.

"The potted plant thing you were talkin' to yesterday? He had it comin'." The Ohioan turned to him and narrowed his eyes.

"Just because he's a plant doesn't mean he has no feelings." Dean shrugged off his jacket and headed towards the shower. "It's a shame you didn't wait up for me. I could use a little cheering up right now." Seth's face fell a bit, but Roman interjected before he could reply.

"I could help with that," he said innocently. Seth snorted at them.

"I thought you called dibs on **me** , Rome? You tryin' to make a move on Dean?" Seth asked playfully. The champion shrugged.

"He said he needed cheering up. You just finished your shower and I haven't taken mine yet. Besides, _you can share him_ ," Roman said, referring to Seth's statement during the drive there. Dean took Roman's hand and led him away from Seth, who muttered something that sounded like, "Ambreigns." When he heard the water start running, he sat down on a bench and pulled out his phone. He examined the text Sasha had sent him weeks ago. _i'm in_. The more he tried to think about the reason why she said yes, the more his head hurt. The former champ was about to get up and go ask where she was when he heard gentle rapping on the door.

"You guys are dressed and no one's making out, right?" came a female voice from outside. He chuckled and opened the door. Sasha Banks stood there, head down, nervous smile on her face. She peeked over his shoulder to find an empty room. "I thought this was Roman's locker room? Where is he? Wait! Don't answer that question. I don't even wanna know. *closes the door*"

"I was about to start looking for you. We need to talk."

"About?"

"Your decision." She made an "Oh." face and looked away. She didn't really know what to say. There wasn't much to say. She didn't care about a title at the moment, the Authority is running everyone into the ground, and she wouldn't be one of those people. What else was there? "Dean and Rome want answers too."

"Where are they? If they want answers, shouldn't they be here to get 'em?" She gagged when she heard his answer.

"In the shower." He made a face at her reaction. "What?"

"I thought it was just you and Dean, but **Roman**?! He's _married_ for-"

"They're not having shower-!"

"How would you know that?" came Dean's voice as he emerged from the shower fully dressed. Roman followed behind him, dripping wet hair tied back in a ponytail. "And before you ask, no, we weren't. Tempting idea though…" The three rolled their eyes.

"Can you not go a day without making some dirty comment? *turns to Sasha* So, why did you pick us over them?" Seth needed to know if their double agent was loyal to their cause. If she didn't give them a good enough answer, if she was lying…

"Honestly? I'm tired. I have been chasing that Women's title for ages. At this point, I don't care anymore. Sure, I still want the title, will still go after it eventually, but it's not my top priority. The Authority has done nothing but treat me like a little kid ever since I got here. Even now, they trust me less and less everyday, even though I proved my loyalty forever ago. I'm tired of fighting a losing battle on a side led by two whiny, pathetic, idiotic **morons** trying to run this company into the ground! There needs to be a change. I think it's the Shield. Always have." Seth narrowed his eyes at her, looking for signs of nervousness or a bluff. Nothing. Dean watched his boyfriend, putting a hand on his shoulder to keep him grounded. Seth sighed.

"What do you want then?"

"Isn't it obvious? I want the Authority outta here. And another title shot. But that can wait for whenever."

"And how are you gonna help us?" Roman asked.

"Simple. Keep playing double agent, bringin' you guys back some intel. Spread the word around the locker room whenever you need me to."

"So you're gonna be our own personal Hermes? Where's the flying shoes?" he joked. He actually kind of liked the idea. His brothers looked at him in wonder. "What? Just because I'm a dropout doesn't mean I'm not smart. I paid attention sometimes. I'd've have pretty good grades if I wasn't so lazy. Anyway, I like the idea. What 'bout you guys?" Seth nodded and Roman voiced his approval. "Great! You can start next week. Until then, leave us in peace." Seth slapped his arm.

"Dean!" he complained, "Do you mind? What he means, Sasha, is that we'll start organizing everything next week. Until then, take it easy and head home." She smirked at him.

"Oh I know what he meant. I'll see you boys on the next RAW. Try not to screw each other's brains out. You'll need them soon," she said coyly, exiting their locker room with a smile on her face. Dean growled at her, knowing just who she was talking to.

Closing A/N: I'm pretty sure this is the crappiest, most jumbled up chapter I've written for this fic. If I don't update next week, it's because I'm studying for my finals and getting ready for my high school's graduation. (And reading the fics I follow from various authors. Authors are readers too, so that might be what I've been doing at 4 every morning instead of writing… heheh…) Band and choir are performing and, seeing as how I'm in both, I have twice as much work to do. That and cross country training, preparing for state and regionals in track, other sports stuff. Life is about to attack me with everything it's got soon, so I'll be updating slower, just a heads up. Thanks again to all of my readers and recent reviewers. I'd have given up hope for this fic without you. I'll see you next update! :)


	26. Moments Best Forgotten

Chapter Twenty-Six: Moments Best Forgotten

A/N: This is late. Knew it would be. I was rewatching RAW and Roman's 6-man elimination tag match. As soon as I saw him get hit by a chair, I had to stop the video and compose myself. So much ran through my head, which inspired me to write this chapter with a much more feels approach than storyline, so it might not fit with everything else. My mind keeps saying it's stupid to still stress over that night. Oh well… This'll focus more on Roman and Seth (as much as my mind screams noooooo, because Lunatic Fringe fangirl here), but Dean will still be in it. I'll try to make it longer because this is late (no promises, I can only write so much off one idea), so read and enjoy! (Reviews would be nice too…) I've also started chapter 27, so I'll try to have that done as well. Thanks to all the readers for your support of this fic and sorry for being a lazy, horrible writer!

Roman's head was spinning. Not your average dizzy, small headache, rollercoaster, I was playing ring around the rosey spinning. No, this was the my world is falling apart, everything is out of focus, blacking out, painful, nauseating spinning. Tell him he's over exaggerating, but that's how he felt at the moment. As soon as that cold, hard, unforgiving steel connected with his back, his vision swam and his world began fading as he nearly collapsed on the ground. In what felt like hours, Roman relived the betrayal in the span of a few seconds. He was passed it of course, but he couldn't stop the memory from resurfacing. It was a night where he'd been at his lowest point. He was still ashamed of how he'd reacted backstage. Dean had been patient, understanding… mostly. The first two and a half months didn't count. _He_ , on the other hand, had been bad tempered and didn't even listen to what his little brother had to say. He let his emotions get the better of him. The guilt ate him alive as his mind was brought back to that night…

XxX

Flashback

June 2nd, 2014…

 _"...Last night was Plan A. Tonight? Is Plan B. There's always a Plan B…" Roman looked to Dean confused, who responded with an equally confuzzled expression on his face. Roman threw a quick glance at Seth and thought he saw a flicker of something in his eyes. Was it… remorse, regret? He didn't dwell too long on it, thinking it was a trick of the light. He refocused on the task at hand. They both looked back at Hunter, clearly asking, "What the Hell are you talking about?" Of course, they never noticed Seth looming behind them, steel chair raised in his hand. He hadn't joined them as they moved towards the front of the ring. When Roman saw the demonic grin that lit up the COO's face, he instantly knew something was up. The hair on the back of his neck stood up and chills raced down his spine. What could they be plotting? Outside interference? Bomb under the ring? Roman really didn't know, and didn't really care at the moment, but he knew one thing for certain: this night was not going to end well. At all._

 _As the thought crossed his mind, he felt pain blossom all along his back: searing, stabbing, unexpected, heartbreaking pain. Even with the kevlar vest on he'd recognize the cold, unforgiving taste of steel. He felt the world as he knew it shatter before him. Who else could've hit him from behind? The Authority was on the entrance ramp and his brunette brother stood before him. Only one other person could've done this. "Why, Seth? How could you do this?" he cried in his mind. Dean's shocked, disbelieving face was the last thing he saw before he fell face first into the ropes and onto the mat. "What are you doing?!" he thought he heard Dean yell. He turned onto his back, cringing in pain as he watched Seth, his baby brother, someone he trusted with his life, assault Dean with a steel chair. Seth hit him only one more time before focusing the rest of the beating on Dean. He heard his younger brother's screams of agony, tears in his eyes as he was powerless to stop it. He thought maybe Seth had a plan. Make the Authority think he's betraying them. Lure them in. So many crazy possibilities raced through his head. All were to make him think anything but the inevitable. This was all a nightmare. He was napping back at the hotel and everything was fine. He'd wake up in cold sweat to find Dean and Seth worrying over him and making sure he was alright. He had hope, however small it was._

 _All his hopes were extinguished when he saw the two toned wrestler grab another chair and throw it in front of Dean's head. Only one thing would come of that. His fear was confirmed when Seth Curbstomped Dean into oblivion. Roman looked into Seth's eyes and saw three things: pain, darkness, and sadness. He'd betrayed the Shield, broken their friendship and brotherhood wide open. There would be no coming back from this. He watched as Seth left the ring and joined Triple H and Randy Orton on the outside. He must've handed the chair to the Viper because he felt blow after blow land on his back. Vicious and powerful strikes that made him cry out. The hits continued until Roman's face was a blank, dazed mask of pain. Randy ripped off his vest, exposing his red and purple bruised back, and RKO'd him onto the chair. Triple H and that sellout of a brother joined him in the ring. He heard Dean try crawling over to him and saw the white of the lights before everything faded to black…_

XxX

 _Roman did the best he could to support Dean on the way up the entrance ramp backstage. His vest in one hand, his other holding onto the limp arm Dean had thrown over his shoulder. He took slow, wobbly, heavy steps as the backstage entrance came agonizingly slowly closer in his swimming vision. Breaths came so hard and fast that he thought he'd started hyperventilating. Dean's were slow and shallow. The younger man felt like dead weight and Roman's right side was almost completely numb by the time he found a place where they could sit down and recuperate. The Lunatic Fringe basically collapsed on the couch, moaning and groaning loudly in anguish._

 _"Dean, you okay over there?" The brunette shot a death glare at the Samoan._

 _"What kind of fucking question is that?! Our baby brother just betrayed us, stabbed us in the back, for that power hungry, worthless, conniving, no good_ _ **asshole**_ _, and you're asking me if I'm okay?! Are you fucking kidding me?!_ _ **NO**_ _! I'm not okay! I'm the farthest possible I can be from okay! I_ _ **loved**_ _him, Ro. Not just brotherly love, something… more. We were getting somewhere. We… we were almost official… Now this. The Shield was on top of the world too. Kiss those dreams goodbye…"_

 _"What're we gonna do now?" Roman asked, voice low and hoarse._

 _"Hell if I know. There's no Shield without Seth. We can't go on with just the two of us. I can't go on without the both of you. I don't know where to go from here…" Roman understood. Seth and Dean were virtually inseparable. They were closer to each than either had ever been to Roman. Heartbroken wouldn't even begin to describe Dean's feelings right now. Even devastated was a light term in this situation. Before the older man could reply, there was hurried knocking at the Shield's locker room door. Both exchanged pissed off glances before Roman went to answer it. He regretted the decision as soon as he saw the two timing face behind it. He tried to slam the door, but deft hands caught it and allowed Seth to hastily enter. Dean looked up and all the remaining color, how ever little there was, drained out of his face._

 _"Look, *gulps* I know I'm the last person you wanna see right now-"_

 _"You damn right you are. What the Hell do you want, you traitor?!" Roman roared, vision starting to go crimson from his fury. Seth cringed._

 _"Rome, please, just listen to me. For just a few seconds is all I'm askin' fo-"_

 _"SHUT UP! Shut up! Do you think we want to hear your excuses?! Your lies?! I will never trust another word that comes out of your mouth! Do you expect us to give you the time of day when you just annihilated your brothers? The only two in this company who really give a damn about you? Who love you more than they should? Who call you family?!" he was breathing hard after that little rant. Tears were streaming down the other two men's cheeks. Seth's knees gave out and he collapsed with his head in his hands in front of Roman._

 _"Roman. Roman, please. Just let me-"_

 _"Don't," he growled, "You are no brother of mine. I don't **like** you, I certainly don't **love** you-"_

 _"R-Ro," Dean whispered brokenly, speaking for the first time since Seth's arrival, "D-Don't say that. Don't say something you'll regret. You don't mean that…"_

 _"Oh, I mean every word coming out of my mouth right now. *turns to Seth, who looks up frightened* I can't stand the sight of you. I can't stand being in the same room as you. I_ _ **hate**_ _you!_ _ **You. Are. Dead. To. Me.**_ _" Without another glance at either of them, the grey eyed (former?) Hound of Justice stormed out of the room with his bags in tow._

XxX

End Flashback

Now, Roman's mind returned to the present. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows were beating the crap out of him with a steel chair. His mind wasn't focused. He couldn't keep up with what was happening. His only thoughts were of Seth. He lay stunned against the announce table as his cousins tried their best to avenge him. They only went a few seconds toe to toe with the Club before they were tossed out of the ring. Roman finally came to his senses, rushing into to the ring and delivering much deserved spears to both of AJ's buddies. He picked up the steel chair, ready to unleash his fury when Styles caught him from behind. He tried going for the Styles Clash on the steel chair when Roman reversed it, throwing him over the ropes and onto the apron. The champ dropped the chair at the Phenomenal One's feet, beckoning him into the ring, inviting him to take a swing. AJ kicked it back to him, opting to try high risk instead. Of course, the Samoan ducked, retrieving the steel chair and whirling around. AJ landed on his feet and rolled onto the outside. He shouted to Roman that it would all be over for him at Extreme Rules. Roman borrowed a line from the Rock. "Just bring it! I'll see you in a few weeks."

After that catastrophe, he headed backstage, sprinting to his cousins and checking on them. They seemed more concerned about Roman however. "What happened out there, Uce? You just froze for a minute," Jimmy questioned, hoping Roman would confide in him. It was to no avail as he got, "Nothin', just wasn't focused." as a quiet reply. Roman sat down on a nearby equipment crate, eyes closed and head in his hands. They decided to just drop it, knowing Roman wouldn't really elaborate in this state. He had that broken look in his eye. He wasn't the usual Roman after a show. It had been so long since they saw him like that. Back when… Realization dawned on the twins in an instant.

"Alright then, cuz. Call us if you need anything. We'll see you later," Jey told him, signaling to Jimmy that this was their exit. The two left Roman to his own devices and went to find the rest of the Shield. They found the two waiting outside of Roman's locker room with Roman's bags, Dean pacing restlessly and Seth contemplating something as he leaned against the wall. They looked up to see who was approaching. The Usos were walking swiftly towards them with worried faces.

"You guys seen Rome? He was supposed to be here a few minutes ago and he hasn't shown up," Seth said to them. Jey sighed.

"He's all torn up about somethin'. He wouldn't tell us, so we thought it might be better to go get y'all," he replied. Dean stopped pacing and strolled over to them.

"But he's alright, isn't he? He's not hurt, or-"

"No, he's fine! He's just, I dunno, sulkin' I guess. He looks heartbroken, Uce. I don't know what happened out there, but he's just out of it," Jimmy told him. "He looks like he did after the-" Seth suddenly pushed off the wall and grabbed Jimmy, shaking him.

He demanded, more furious sounding than he intended to be, "Where is he?!"

"Chill out, Uce, just chill! He's out by the curtain, man! *Seth lets go and storms off* Jeez. What with him?"

"That chair shot… It reminded us about… ya know. That night. Heh, you'd think it'd hurt me more, but Roman… He had a lot of trust issues after that. He couldn't stand Seth. But after they made up, something just shattered in him. He beats himself up about how he treated Seth. I guess the chair..." Dean didn't finish the sentence as he headed off towards the curtain after Seth with his older brother's stuff, waving to the twins as he did so. They turned to each other.

"So what are they gonna do on the actual day of the betrayal?" Jey shook his head and shrugged, heading back to the main locker room after his brother. He hoped Seth and his cousin could resolve whatever issues had arisen.

XxX

Seth was angry. Well, angry might not be the right word. Livid and frustrated would be a better description. He was frustrated that memories of that night had resurfaced after all the three had done to fix things. Dean was basically Moxley for months on end during his darkest times. It should've affected him more, but Dean found it in his heart to forgive him. After all the rough patches and a very long talk that may or may not have resulted in a make out session. That was about the time the two had started progressing towards being in a relationship again. Roman, however, hadn't talked to him, looked at him, acknowledged him, or showed any kindness to him for the longest time. He gave him the cold shoulder every time they were anywhere near each other and growled out any response he gave when he absolutely had to talk to Seth. If looks could kill, Seth would've been burning in Hell a million times over years ago. Roman absolutely despised him, hated him with a passion, wished he never existed to break him into itty bitty pieces pretending to be a brother.

He continued his hurried pace until he saw a hunched over figure in a black vest on an equipment crate. Crying his eyes out. Roman Reigns did not cry. At least, he didn't cry in a place where he was so exposed and vulnerable to judging looks and criticism. Seth stopped in his tracks, taking in the heartbreaking sight before him. Roman, **his** Roman, was hurting. Because of him. He'd done so much to repair the damage and take away the pain he'd caused. Without being able to stop them, those excruciatingly painful memories resurfaced, knocking the wind out of him as they flashed before his eyes.

XxX

Flashback

 _"Joe, wait!" The oldest brother just increased his pace, putting as much distance between himself and that sellout as possible. Seth let out a broken cry as Roman left, though it sounded more like a wounded howl. The sound of the slamming door reverberated painfully off the walls of the locker room. Everything was ruined: his life, his relationship with the two people who cared about him the most, probably his career with all the shit going on in his personal life. Uncontrollable sobs wracked his body and his breathing quickened at an alarming rate. His vision got blurry and stars danced in his vision. He felt like the world was compressing against him, determined to squeeze the life and breath out of him until nothing remained. He heard faint wheezing and, before he knew it, his throat felt as if it'd been lit on fire and was tightening. A panic attack, just perfect._

 _Out of nowhere, he was enveloped in a strong embrace. He could barely feel it, but it was comforting to know someone was trying to ground him. Naturally, he felt his arms instantly latch onto the nearby presence. He felt gentle hands caress his black and blonde locks and wipe the excess tears from his face with a feather light touch. "Colby? Colby, can you hea_ r _me?" a raspy voice asked him, more worried than he'd ever heard. Though the voice was distant, he'd recognize it from anywhere. Seth squeezed his hand to say yes. "Okay. Focus on my voice, alright. I'm right here, you're safe with me. Just relax and try to take some deep breaths with me. In… and out. In… and out. C'mon, you're doin' great. Keep going… That's it. That's it, babe. Deep breaths." Seth felt his breathing slowly return to normal, tears starting to flow slower, grip start loosening just a tiny bit. "*breathy, quiet laugh* Awesome. Now, can you open your eyes for me?" Huh, he never noticed that he had practically glued his eyes shut to help him endure the pain. Slowly, he cracked them open and met watery, deep blue eyes. He gave a weak smile and once again threw his arms around Dean. Sounds returned to their regular volume and his eyesight returned to normal. If the situation wasn't what it was, he could've sworn a pair of angel wings were protruding from Dean's back._

 _"Please, Jon, can you just give me a few minutes to tell you everything? I know what it looks like, but there's an explanation, there is! No alibi, no lies, no tall tales. I'll give you the truth, just… Please, don't leave me. Please, don't leave me to suffer through this alone." Dean sneered, abruptly letting go of the man he so desperately wanted to hold in his arms forever._

 _"Like you just did? I understand why Ro left the way he did. If I didn't love you more than anyone else in my life, I probably woulda stormed out on you too." Seth eyes widened at the confession. "We can talk. When you give me- us... some time to think and cool down. You didn't just break us, Colby, you shattered us, physically and emotionally. Things'll never be the same. And I know that little stunt out there wasn't just another fucking storyline. How long have you been planning this?"_

 _"It's not like that! Hunter, he threatened-"_

 _"If you try and explain things now, my mind'll just file it away under bullshit. Like I said, give it time. You may have taken all your hurt out on me, but the both of us are still devastated. This goes deeper than you think, than you'll ever really know." Dean gingerly tried to get up, crying out at the pain in his back. Seth hurriedly scampered over and let Dean lean on him for support. The man couldn't really protest as he didn't really have a choice. When Dean was sure he could stand on his own two feet and take a few steps, he let go. He didn't bother changing out of his ring gear, grabbing his bags and starting to leave. Seth couldn't let him leave until he had the answer to his question, however._

 _"Wait! What do you mean it goes deeper than I know?" The Cincinnati native stopped in his tracks and, without turning around, whispered their answer._

 _"Because, to us you were more than a brother. You… *turns and looks Seth dead in the eyes* You were a lover."_

XxX

Flashback End

Slowly, reality returned and Seth was thrown back into the present. He was leaning against a door, heavily breathing and hands shaking. ' _Pull yoursel_ f _together, Rollins. Don't have a panic attack. You're fine. You can do this_ ,' he thought to himself. He took a deep breath, pushed off the door, and slowly walked over to his older brother. "Joe," he whispered, placing a hand on his shoulder. The champion's head instantly shot up, red, puffy grey eyes locking with tear filled brown ones. "What's going on? Tell me what's wrong." Roman turned away from him, muttering an incoherent response. "Don't try and lie either. You're a horrible liar."

"It's about you," he croaked, "Nothing good. I just… I can't forgive myself." Seth raised an eyebrow, clearly unsatisfied with that answer.

"You're not making a lick of sense. I don't get what got you so worked up-"

"Out there, when I got hit with that chair from behind, I just froze. My mind, it was like time stopped, took me back to that one night. I never really think about it anymore, but the chair just threw me back. **That** night, Colby." The half blonde's breath got stuck in his chest. "I feel so *frustrated growl* I'm disappointed in myself, I'm angry at myself, I can't… forgive myself. Even now, I can't get over how I was to you after June. We were on top of the world. We were on our way to being legends as a tag team and then you went and… changed all that, threw the plan out the window. You were everything to me, still are. I just lost faith in the off chance that my baby brother, who I loved almost more than anyone or anything, was still in there, biding his time to come back." He gave an emotionless chuckle. "And it was bad enough I only got hit twice. You completely destroyed Jon. Every hit was a blow to the heart. Every hit was you losing my trust, my respect, my… The months went by and things didn't get better, they got worse."

"Why are you beating yourself up about that? We talked about this, Joe. I don't blame you or anyone else for how you treated me after we beat Evolution. I deserved everything I got-"

"But you didn't!" he interrupted. "The boos, the death threats, the hate and criticism, the emotional toll it took on you all those months. I left you to suffer instead of staying. I agreed with all those ignorant, know it all fans who called you garbage and wanted you gone. You are my family. That means being by your side, being there for you, never losing faith, never giving up hope in you. I had no right to treat you like the scum of the Earth. I will love you, unconditionally, until the end of time. That much I know. I've always known. If I'd pledged that before…" Seth had heard enough. Before Roman could continue, Seth had him up against a wall, one hand fisted in his hair, seeing as how he was still wearing his old Shield vest, and he couldn't really grab that. Roman was too startled to realize what was happening. Soon after his back collided with the hard surface, he felt his cheek begin to sting. Seth had none too gently slapped him.

"What is wrong with you?! Do you think I care if you still think about the betrayal?!" Both of them were shocked that he'd said the two words that still affected them so much. They'd refused to say them because they caused so many emotions to come boiling to the surface. Seth tried to remain unfazed and went on. "That's a night, along with the last two years, that'll haunt both of us and Jon for the rest of our careers, maybe our lives. But guess what? We moved past it, made things right, forgave each other. Did we fully go back to the way things were before? No, not even close, but you're closer to me now than you ever were before then!" The younger lover gave a weak smile. "I would **never** let anything like that break us apart, not now, not ever. Never again."

"Colby…" He couldn't find the words to express his mixed feelings, so he settled for the next best thing. He pulled Seth closer and pressed a desperate kiss to his lover's soft, rosy lips. He tried to make it last as long as possible before they needed to breathe. Their lips moved over each other's fast yet gentle as they poured their feelings out into the kiss. Seth was definitely sure he felt tears this time. Whose tears were on his cheeks was what he didn't know. "Thank you, baby boy," Roman mumbled affectionately, "And I'm sor-"

"Don't. Don't apologize for anything Joe. Just… don't think about it. And don't blame yourself!" Seth turned them so that Roman could lean into him. Many would find the sight strange, the larger man being comforted by the smaller. To anyone who knew the boys on a deeper, more personal level, it was a heart melting sight. Dean was one of those people and wore a soft smile seeing the two comfort each other. When was the last time Roman had had a major emotional breakdown because of… that night? He really didn't want to ruin the moment, so he decided to take a few picture with his phone. It was rare moments like this that made him feel like an emotional chick. He didn't mind too much anymore though. The brunette heard Roman sniffle before turning towards him, a slight blush creeping into his cheeks at being caught in such an intimate and comforting moment.

"Jon." Seth looked up at his soulmate.

"*cough cough Rolleigns!* (jokingly) Don't you two look cute together. It's almost sweet. So, you guys good? Everybody back on the same page?"

"Since when did you-?"

"Yes? Then let's get back to the hotel so you two can have some make up-"

"We're not going to, Jon," Roman said, amused. Seth pouted.

"Why not? You called dibs. This'll be twice you've skipped out on me now."

"*sigh* You're not gonna let that go, are you?" Seth shook his head.

"Nope. You need some cheering up. Besides, Jon doesn't like sharing me when we're on the road. Soooo?"

"Hey! I **do** share you… sometimes… when I want to…"

"Exactly. Which is almost never."

"*chuckles* I didn't know you were so desperate. Alright. Jon, you won't freak out if you walk in on us, will you? We aren't exactly gonna be quiet or anything if Seth's in such a good mood..."

"Dude, I've lived through much, **much** worse than you two fucking in front of me. You know my horrifying life story. I think I'll be fine."

"Unless I'm on top," Seth whispered not so quietly in a not so PG tone. That turned more than a few heads that passed by, one incidentally being Shane, who had a look of confuzzled amusement on his face, as Dean slapped Seth upside the head. His brother in law was one of the co-founders of DX. Sexual innuendos and dirty comments didn't really bother him at all. He and Roman shared a laugh as Seth yanked on Dean's curls. It didn't' seem to faze him, however, as he just pulled on Seth's hair right back. The younger man yelped and Dean pressed a quick kiss to his forehead. He flashed Seth a fake oblivious look. "Ow! Babe! What was-?"

"Now you know how it feels when I try to make a joke," Dean told him with a smirk, heading towards the exit with Roman's bags. "And no kinky stuff. That's **my** job." With an irked sigh, Seth took Roman's hand in his and they both followed Dean out. Roman felt as if all the weight had been lifted from his shoulders, the night's earlier problems now forgotten. The… the betrayal was still something he'd have nightmares about, the act itself and the fallout afterwards. He couldn't change the past. The memories would still haunt him, for sure, but he could rest easy knowing that all had been forgiven. One day, he'd be free from the pain and guilt. The wounds would heal and the scars would fade. Maybe Roman's night would be better than he expected.

Closing A/N: Okay, in all honesty, I didn't mean for the chapter to get all angsty and overloaded with the feels. It was supposed to be just a simple hurt/comfort kind of thing, ya know? This is what happens when I promise longer chapters. Details and feels and all kinds of craziness. I tried to go for 5,000 words this time. Mission accomplished. And, before I forget to ask, does anyone have any ideas for a chapter title? I've been sitting here trying to think of one that sums up the main points of what happened to Dean and Roman on RAW. A few suggestions would be appreciated (through a PM or review).

For anyone who actually reads these author's notes, thanks for putting up with me this long. Seeing how many people read this fic, no matter how few or how many, really makes my day. Being able to write and have someone read it and leave positive feedback makes me so happy. Anyway, enough of the sappiness. Chapter 27 is in progress, slow progress, but it's progress, and plans for future chapters are as well. I've even started brainstorming for this fic's sequel, which'll be badly and briefly explained in the next batch of rambling author's notes. See you guys next update! :)


	27. He's Baaaaack!

Chapter Twenty-Seven: He's Baaaaack!

A/N: I had a legit Fangirl Freakout last week. I was reading one of my fics, and the author's notes said that Seth was back. I was freaking out I was so excited. I hadn't seen Extreme Rules, so I checked for myself. *girly girl squeal* I haven't been able to stop smiling since! I am so ecstatic, but that also means that I have to do some serious tweaking to my next few chapters. (I didn't expect him back until early June tbh.) Seth has been back since, like, chapter 5 after all. Back to the drawing board. This chapter makes references to the 5/16 episode of RAW and Extreme Rules. Focuses mainly on this week's RAW. And, before I forget, I need to explain my whole sequel idea thing.

I'm planning on writing a series prequel (say it slowly in your head a few times). Basically, I want to write a three story series that details everything from their high school years together (an AU), the indie days and FCW (which I'll have to research), and their time in WWE from NXT (which I know next to nothing about, unfortunately) to the beginning of chapter one of this fic. It was either that, or writing a 100+ chapter story as a sequel, and that would just be overkill to me. Unless that's something you guys we be interested in seeing me attempt and fail successfully at! Or at least botch horribly. Let me know your thoughts (ya know, PM or review). Now that I'm done rambling, here's chapter 27. Disclaim: (Tsunami) I don't own anything you recognize but the ideas and this story. WWE owns all characters, shows, storylines, etc.- (Angel): Your disclaimers are bor- *gets shoved out of computer chair* (Tsunami): -I'm just the Lunatic Fringe's Angel who loves writing fanfiction. *shoots sister a death glare* Me: *sigh* You know what, you two-?

XxX

Earlier that day…

"C'mon, where **is** he?" Dean was impatiently tapping his foot while leaning against the back door to the arena, wondering where his soulmate was. They'd been separated because Seth had gotten a call to head to HQ for a meeting the same night Dean and Roman were booked for a house show. It tore the three apart, but they could cope for a few days. By they, that meant Roman. Dean and Seth were constantly calling, texting, facetiming, doing whatever it took to stay in constant contact. Roman tried to, but wasn't as… was obsessed even a strong enough word to describe it? No, not really. It was as if the world would end if they weren't carrying on a conversation or checking on one another. Dean once again checked the time on his phone. He'd arrived early (admit it, when does that ever happen?) and here Seth was, about to be late. It was almost six and the brunette was about to head to the locker room when…

"I'm right here, babe." Dean whirled around to see his soulmate in his new merchandise, bags in hand and a huge grin etched onto his face. Dean practically jumped into the smaller man's arms. Well, he **was** smaller. All that time off had given him a chance to work out more, get back into shape, build muscle. They were somewhat closer to the same size now. He pressed a firm kiss to his lover's lips, both moaning in response. Dean reluctantly pulled away.

"And here I thought **you'd** be late. For once in your perfect life. Guess this is why you're so perfect. *content sigh*" the older man murmured affectionately. Dean took a closer look at Seth and frowned. Well, pouted would be a better word. "Your blonde patch…" He looked like a kicked puppy. The former two toned man chuckled at that. The first thing Dean had really noticed about him before they met was his eccentric looking hair. The way the black and blonde mixed exactly right instantly drew his eyes to Seth. "It's gone…"

"Well I can't really worry so much about my hair when I'm tryin' to get back in shape. Get back into the swing of things with all the memorizing lines and late nights and traveling. It was the least of my worries."

Dean whined, "But I can't call you adorable now! I called you that because of your blonde patch…"

"Why can't I still be adorable? I'm still me. What about my dorky personality?" What Seth hadn't told them, or let them notice, was that he had reaggravated his surgically repaired knee the night he tried to officially return. He'd seen a trainer one night before a show a week or so after he'd been medically cleared. They told him that more damage had been done to his knee and that he'd need additional rest time. He was outraged. His knee had already taken months out of his career and now it was taking more? He couldn't tell his brothers that, so he instead opted to tell them that he was staying back to keep his job, and himself, safe. It was mostly true at least. And it worked perfect with what everyone else thought. Being slammed into the door jarred him out of his thoughts.

"I haven't seen you in over a week. Do you know what that's done to me? How worried I've been about you? How lonely I was, even if I was with Ro? It's just not the same…" He slowly kissed along Seth's jawline down to his neck. He peppered it with small, butterfly kisses before whispering in his ear, "I need you." He meant the words in more than a sexual way, and Seth knew. One week without him by his side had made the old, long forgotten feelings of loneliness, depression, and a touch of fear bubble towards the surface. Seth made him whole, complete. There was no Dean Ambrose without Seth Rollins. He felt strong arms wrap around him, as if he were a lone life raft in the middle of the ocean. Seth moaned at the soft, feather light touches, pushing off of the door and trying to put just a little space between them.

"N-Not out here," he stammered. Dean groaned in protest and stopped. Just as he did, Roman pulled up in Dean's Camaro. He got out, gave a quizzical glance to the two, and tossed the sapphire eyed man his keys.

"In public guys, really? You do realize anyone could see you?" he said, shaking his head. Dean stuck out his tongue at him and gave Seth one more kiss. "Seth, you said you wanted to tell us something?"

"Yeah, it's about tonight. Shall we?" he asked, gesturing towards the doors.

XxX

At the moment…

Seth was beyond surprise when he got the call from creative. Recently, he'd wrestled a few live shows that weren't televised, to shake off the ring rust, and finally gotten his questions answered. Apparently, a head injury had been written in after the vicious attack from the League upon his unofficial return. Everyone had known but the Shield. Before he could yell profanities into his phone, however, creative told him they finally had an idea for him. The Shield had been united and strong for the last few months since then. Seth was to make his official return from his fake injury at Extreme Rules, saying how corrupt Roman's become since he won the Championship, how it was time to get back the title he never lost on RAW the next night. It seemed like a good idea. Then, he thought about two weeks ago, how emotionally broken his oldest brother seemed. He couldn't do that, not after all that'd happened. Of course, he ran the idea by his brothers anyway.

"… And I just wanted to know what you guys thought about it." Seth had his eyes trained on the ground, sitting on a bench across from his two brothers. Dean seemed lost in thought, sitting in Roman's lap, while Roman was determined to make Seth look him in the eyes. "I didn't like it. We just got back together. We had a plan, and now…"

"Seth, baby boy, look at me." The Davenport native slowly met his… soft gaze? "It doesn't matter that you're coming back to attack me. It's just like at that last Wrestlemania. We knew it was coming. I'm all for it. Come back with a bang and make a statement! What do you think, Dean?" The brunette didn't respond, tapping an erratic rhythm on the champion's leg with his eyes closed. "Dean!" He opened them slowly, blinking a few times, and hummed in response. "Say something, would ya?"

"Don't you think it's strange," he started, getting up from his spot and pacing, "that creative would pick **now** to have Seth come back? Do you think we're missing something? Not seeing the big picture?" Seth frowned.

"Why would you say that?" Seth asked frowning.

"Think about it. The Authority is gone for now, again. Stephanie **is** actually agreeing and cooperating with Shane. They've stopped the attacks on us and aren't even a threat at the moment. What's the point of our plan now?" He took a seat beside Seth, laying his head on Seth's shoulder.

"Where is this coming from? Who are you, and where are my upbeat boyfriends?"

"*snorts* Since when was I ever upbeat?"

"What about the time we straightened things out and tricked Roman for a day?"

"That," Roman said, "was **not** him being upbeat. That was you two about to look like rabbits in heat."

"Haha. Hilarious. What about you and Galina on Mother's Day? I asked her about it and, well… *makes a few hand gestures* You weren't exactly keeping your hands off each other either."

Seth smirked and didn't try to hide his smile. "Back to the point, please? You said the plan was pointless, because of all the unknowns."

"No, I asked if the plan still had a point. Hunter's MIA again. Doesn't that bother you guys at all? The Authority is split up at the moment, so what's the point of the plan if there is no Authority? And Stephanie **is** being cooperative with Shane right now. There's no corrupt power around to make life Hell. I'm sorry if I have my doubts about there being trouble, but I do."

"Was this a work related concern, or something more… personal?" Roman asked the formerly two toned man. Seth looked confuzzled until the true meaning of Roman's words hit him.

"NO! I would never! I mean, there's a chance that they might contact me, or blackmail, or threaten, but no. Why would you even think that?" he finished, a little hurt at the subtle accusation.

"Gotta consider all the possibilities. They could trick you into another partnership, or give you an ultimatum so you'd have to say yes. Whaddya want me to ask? Maybe Mox has a point. Maybe they **are** biding their time. For what reason is the question."

"We'll have to worry about that later, though," Moxley told them after hearing a knock at their locker room door. "Right now, *eyes slowly fade back to light blue* we have a show to do."

XxX

Monday Night RAW

8:00 P.M.

Roman and Dean were watching backstage as their baby brother opened RAW for the first time since his injury. They were anxious to see just what he was scripted to do. He kicked off the show and received an onslaught of welcome back cheers. He smiled, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, looking at all the cheering fans around him. He hated having to be the bad guy, but he had a title to regain. There was no time for him to be Mr. Nice when Roman had the championship. At least he wouldn't be booed _as much_ … right? He held up his microphone. He accepted the praise with that arrogant smirk on his face (he groaned internally at his script). Seth wanted so bad to rebel and toss the script out the window. The last time he did that though… he got written out of storylines and put on the shelf like some mid-match card employee.

"Did you guys miss me, or what?" The crowd shouted their approval. "I mean, it wasn't always that way, right? I mean, *cringes inside* when I put a steel chair in Roman Reigns' back and destroyed the Shield, yeah. You said I was a coward. You said I hid behind the Authority every chance I got. I mean, you basically discredited every second of hard work that went into that title reign!" He showed a bit of anger here. He knew that it was because of his bad blood with, well, everyone when he joined the Authority, but a part of him still felt hatred towards the fans that wished for his death. This part of the script was something he would actually think. Maybe not say around all these people, but… "And then… and then something happened, right? I mean, something profound happened. My knee it, eh, it buckled… Buckled under the weight of carrying this company on my back for so! Freakin'! Long! I don't need any of you!" ' _You have no idea how much I've needed you in the past. Especially now_.' "I never did!" ' _I always did_.' "I didn't need you to win the title! I didn't need you on my side to defend it night, after night, after night! And I don't need you to get it back!" ' _You helped me win the title, boos and all, helped keep me going to defend it each and every time. I **do** need you to get it back.' _

The crowd did **not** like those statements. They let him know that, too. "Oh, what, now you wanna boo me? Is that it? Is that how it's gonna be, 'cuz that's fine. There's only room on the Seth Rollins band wagon for one dude… And that's me. Nah nah nah nah nah, because y'all weren't there. You guys weren't there. When I was rehabbing twice a day, every day to get back in here, to get back the title I never lost! That is more hard work in seven months than any of you have put together in your entire. Collective. Lives. So do whatever you want: cheer me, boo me, it doesn't matter. I'm back for one thing. That's the title I never lost. I have rebuilt Seth Rollins, I designed Seth Rollins, and I, and I alone, will take back my WWE World Heavyweight Championship." That was when "The Truth Reigns", or what Seth still considered a "Special Op" ripoff, rang throughout the arena. Roman, with the title, marched down to the ring, climbing onto the apron and glaring at his youngest brother. As soon as Roman tried to advance, Seth walked away and got out of the ring. He proclaimed that this was his ring, his show, that he owned this. Roman just dared Seth to say it to his face. The two went back and forth, the crowd not being able to make out the words of their heated exchange. Then, Shane 'O Mac's music hit and the three found themselves in the ring together. Shane, of course, tried to keep them on opposite sides. He didn't want a brawl on his hands.

"Now, obviously, there's a lot of animosity between the two of you, and, believe me, this is a match that has Wrestlemania main event written all over it. But we're not gonna be waiting until Wrestlemania. At WWE's next PPV event, titled Money in the Bank, it's gonna be Roman Reigns defending the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Seth Rollins." Seth showed his excitement along with the fans. He'd make Roman fight for his life, even if their long standing hatred for each other didn't exist off screen.

"Yes! Now that's what I'm talkin' about! Damn right! Hear that?!" The former champ shook Shane's hand, making a point by trying to get the last word. Roman remained as stoic as ever, looking not the least bit affected by the announcement. Of course, a mountain of emotions swirled just beneath the surface behind the blank, unreadable mask as he headed backstage to confer with the much unbroken Shield.

XxX

Dean Ambrose had one goal in mind at the moment: win a spot in the Money in the Bank ladder match. His opponent, Dolph Ziggler, was giving him a tough time, however. The Showoff would love nothing more than to win at MITB and cash in on Roman when the moment was right. Dean had different plans. Dolph went for the Zig-Zag, but he held tightly onto the ropes and got him off his back. While Dolph was stunned after that landing, Dean hit Dirty Deeds and secured a victory, ensuring he had a chance to get that briefcase. He could see it now. Seth and Roman would be… any way he thought about it in his head he took the wrong way, so he'd just say in the middle of trading blows in a match, and he'd cash in and make it a triple threat. The one thing he's always wanted was for the three of them to compete against each other for the title. And an official Shield reunion… And a family with kids… But that was at the top of the list.

"Dean!" The brunette turned to see Seth and Roman, holding hands, heading towards him with a plate of cheesecake. "We snagged you a piece in case you were hungry after your match. I know you didn't eat earlier." Dean smiled and eagerly took the plate, though not before smearing some cake over Seth's face. He frowned before licking his lips and giving Dean a devilish smile.

The brunette tilted his head to the side in confusion before realization dawned on him and he yelled, "No! Don't even think about it. I haven't even taken a bite out of it yet-!" Seth had already dragged his fingers through the cake and smeared it onto Dean's cheeks and lips. Dean caught one of his fingers in his mouth and licked the remnants of the cake off of it hungrily. He then took a huge bite out of the cake before proceeding to smash the rest of the plate into Seth's face. The Armenian froze, eyes shut and fingers wiping frosting out of them, before dragging Dean into the nearest unlocked room (which just happened to be Roman's personal locker room) and locking the door behind him. He effectively shut the door in Roman's face.

"…Okay. I see how it is… and I didn't even get any cake," Roman complained under his breath before heading off to find Shane. There were usually contract signings and confrontations that came with this sort of thing, and Stephanie didn't know the extent of the boys' "friendship". The plan would be put on the shelf for a while so that they could deal with this new development. His lovers could fool around a bit while he took care of business.

XxX

Seth had Dean pinned against the door, kissing and licking icing off of his face. Dean was doing the same to him. When both of their faces were clean, the two tried to kiss the life out of each other. At first, it was heated and sloppy. Soon, it slowed and became more gentle. Seth had Dean's lower lip in between his teeth before the older man pulled away with a small whine. "You're finally back for real. Wrestling matches, doing promos, traveling with the people you care about. With us… with _me_ …" He pulled Seth in for another deep kiss, loving the way his beard tickled his skin. "So, *pant* how about we finish what we started outside?" he whispered huskily. The former champ growled playfully and pulled Dean further into the room. When they were close enough, Seth pushed Dean none too gently onto the couch, straddling him. He had one hand fisted in Dean's light brown curls and the other around his neck. He dived in for a deep kiss, grinding downward in the process.

"Seth!" Dean moaned wantonly, thrusting upward in return. His hands tried to push them closer together, trying to close whatever distance was left between them. His soulmate simply began kissing along his jaw and down his neck, eliciting more needy sounds from the man beneath him. "T-Tonight is about you, n-not m-me. W-Why are you-?"

"Shh…" Seth replied, leaving multiple hickeys on his lover's neck. "Tonight **is** about me… Me celebrating my return by treating my boyfriend." The brunette looked up at him with half lidded eyes, not expecting that answer. He shut them as Seth's hands travelled lower and lower, eventually reaching the waistband of his jeans. Seth began taking off Dean's pants while Dean worked on Seth's shirt. "You ready for me?" Dean could only nod as they stripped off the rest of their clothes and…

XxX

Roman, of course was standing in front of Shane and Stephanie's office. He needed to know just what Shane was planning and how Stephanie was still oblivious to everything. He raised his hand to knock when Stephanie opened the door, heading out. "Oh, Roman," she greeted him, "What brings you here?" He gritted his teeth and held his usual stoic expression. _Don't strangle her. Don't strangle her. Don't strangle her…_

"I was looking for Shane. He said he wanted to see me."

"What about?"

"I don't know," he lied, "Wouldn't tell me." He maneuvered around her and into the office, casting a death glare over his shoulder. _Keep walking._ _You can't kill her yet…_ Stephanie gave him a curious look before taking her leave. Roman headed into the office and saw a semi-frustrated Shane writing furiously while trying to keep calm over the phone. He was obviously busy with everything going on, but beckoned Roman over nonetheless.

"What? No, that wasn't my idea! How **dare** you accuse me of- No, *sigh* I apologize for my outburst. It's just been a really stressful and busy night… Yes, of course I can make the meeting, I'll just need a bit more time to… What does _he_ have to do with anything? No, I haven't told anyone else, and you better not have either. I- Yes, that is a threat. Look… Fine, just *sigh* call me at a better time. I'll talk with you later. *hangs up* Roman." Shane beckoned him over, motioning to the chair in front of his desk. He was a bit red in the face, but he was the only McMahon with an ounce of self-control, so he deserved a little bit of credit. "What can I do for you?"

"Uh, well… It's about what happened earlier tonight, Seth's scheduled return. I-I just don't understand. Why now, and how is Stephanie not catching on to any of this?" He was overly concerned, he knew that, but something just didn't feel right. Shane caught onto his train of thought.

"It was nothing on my part. It was my sister's idea, actually. _Ratings would go through the roof, Roman needs a new nemesis, let's book the original rivalry before his injury,_ and all that jazz," Roman snickered at his mock Stephanie voice, shrill and annoying as heck, just like her. "If I refused, it would've looked suspicious. I'm surprised she hasn't pried yet, she's seen you and Dean speak to me on a number of occasions already. The feud is a perfect cover for you, though. She thinks there's fighting within the Shield. At least, that's what I led her to believe…" Roman raised his eyebrows in curiosity.

"Oh, really… Are you sure **you're** not the evil genius of the family?" Shane guffawed.

"Please. If **I** were an evil mastermind, I would've come up with a plan to throw my dad out of power by now. Unfortunately, he's still the most sinister. His brain's still as twisted as when he first started all this mess. *gestures to everything around him* If you're worried about me slipping up or being tricked into anything, you're wasting your time. You should be more worried about what your brothers are doing." The champion looked puzzled, so Shane elaborated. "I may or may not have seen them outside the arena earlier, before you arrived. They should be more careful where they interact. You should be actively disliking Seth now, remember?"

"Yeah. Thanks for the-" he abruptly stopped talking when he realized just what his brothers were doing at the moment. "Son of a mother-"

"What? What's wrong?"

"Dean and Seth. They're, um…"

"Go ahead. We'll talk more later." The Samoan nodded, fully intent on bashing their brains in. He hadn't even been invited. He wanted to celebrate his brother's return too…


	28. Mind Games

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Mind Games

A/N: I actually updated early?! *angels singing in the background* Also, tomorrow's my birthday! So, if it's a good day, I might have other story updates up. I might start working on the next chapter. Anyway, *sigh* MITB can't come fast enough. I think that's where I'll end this story. And if the results aren't what the fans want? I'm putting my own little twist in things. And because I don't want to drag this story on longer than necessary. Shout out to KozueNoSaru for the second opinion and tips! It's definitely appreciated! Also, huge thank you to my readers and recent reviewer! Here's chapter 28.

Seth and Roman were still trying to figure out what was going on. Earlier in the night, Roman had called out Seth because of his cowardice recently. He still had to portray the arrogant, cocky, scared little heel like when he was with the Authority. He didn't, however, have a script for that night. For once, he **finally** got to improvise. He didn't feel like talking tonight, so mind games would have to do. Roman wanted him to prove himself? He'd have to wait like everyone else. His music hit and he found himself walking towards the ring. Just when he was about to enter it, he stopped and turned around. He walked back up to the top of the ramp and grabbed the microphone sitting there. He was about to say something when he just thought, 'Nah, not worth it.' He threw it down and headed backstage. Roman was puzzled. Seth loved promos, had a knack for running his mouth too. When Seth said he was doing his own thing, Roman and Dean had been happy to hear he'd get free reign tonight. They had been concerned he might slip up a bit, but Seth reassured them their secret would be kept safe.

"What in…?" Roman murmured, glad the mics couldn't pick up what he was saying to himself. When he turned his back, he planned on leaving the ring. He whirled around when the crowd got excited. Seth had come back and was sprinting towards him. He dropped the title and tried to meet him halfway, only for Seth to stop short of the ring with that smug look on his face. His arrogant grin made Roman's skin crawl, reminding him of the days when his brother lived to annoy him. Seth laughed at him and headed backstage, clearly saying, "You'll have to wait until MITB like everyone else." Roman didn't understand his baby brother sometimes. He headed backstage to try and get some answers out of him. Seth was outside of the main locker room where the rest of the guys usually were. He was holding a slip of paper with furrowed eyebrows. "Hey! *Seth looks up* What was that out there? And what are you holding?" Seth showed him the slip of paper with messy handwriting on it. The penmanship was clearly Dean's. _Meet me at the restaurant down the street after the show. Dress nice. Like date night nice. Come alone. Sorry, Ro. I know you're reading this, but I wanna spend the night with Seth. I love you both._

 _Jon_

Below his signature was a hastily scribbled address, as if he'd written the note in a hurry, barely legible, but still readable. Roman looked back at Seth.

"Yeah, I don't get it either. He's not one to write notes or anything. He always comes up and asks you face to face. What's up with him?"

"Maybe he's in a generous mood?" Roman asked, answering a question with a question.

"How should I know? And wear something nice, like you'd wear on a date? He's not one for fancy places and dressing up. Our first date was at a diner for God's sake!"

"Just… just go with it. You know Dean's not your average guy. He's not even close. He's probably just in a really good mood."

"Maybe…" He pondered his lover being in a good mood. Him being in a good mood did not lead to dates. It led to kisses and touching and… Yeah. No, he was planning something, something big. Heck if he knew what, but he was on to him.

"What was that out there? I know you've gotta keep up the act, but-"

"Guess you'll have to wait until the PPV to find out. As much as I wish it could, being a lover does not earn you special treatment." Roman frowned.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know. What does it mean?... I don't know either, so…"

Roman pinched the bridge of his nose, trying not to get frustrated. "Dean is such a bad influence. His rambling on about random things and talking nonsense is rubbing off on you." Seth kissed him chastely before walking away with a smile, saying,"You still love us anyway."

XxX

Dean was exhausted, having just finished, and won, a six man tag match for his team. Just when he thought he could get away from Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho, the world proves him wrong once again. He slowly dragged himself into the shower, massaging his sore back. Those barricades were **not** fun to fly into. He groaned gratefully as the scalding spray relaxed his muscles and loosened them up. He tried not to take too long, knowing Seth would be waiting for him soon (He may or may not have taken care of himself so as not to get a hard on in the restaurant later. Nothing's worse than sitting for hours with unfinished business. Wrestling a match didn't count). He quickly washed the sweat and dirt that came with being in the business off and dried himself off.

He'd picked something similar to his Hall of Fame apparel, not wanting to dress too fancy. Was that even a thing when you were Dean Ambrose? He decided not to dwell on it as he got dressed. To finish the look he, grudgingly, because he knew Seth loved his hair when it was curly, as did he, slicked back his hair with gel. He hadn't really done it since the Shield days and it unnerved him to look at his reflection and see the shadows of his former self. He could just see the black vest and wrist tape. He blinked and saw himself in his suit again. Focus, this night was about Seth. Looking back on his crazy life could wait for later. The locker room was abandoned when he went to leave, which was a relief. He wouldn't be caught dead in something like this unless he absolutely had to wear it. He slipped out the room and down the hallway with his bag, thinking he was home free after all. Not quite. Someone laid a gentle hand on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. "What's the occasion, Ambrose?" Dean relaxed slightly after hearing the familiar voice.

"Zayn. What's it to you?" Sami Zayn had been a sort of ally for him recently. They'd spent a little time together. Lately, Sami noticed the Lunatic Fringe acting odd. More odd than usual, in fact. He was **nervous**. **Dean Ambrose** did **not** get nervous. He'd been more distracted than usual too. He didn't know about the whole Seth and Dean thing, not a part of the Shield's Anti-Authority army of sorts, even though just about everyone in the locker room knew.

"You've just been acting strange. You okay?" Dean slowly took Sami's hand off his shoulder.

"Never better," he responded with a smirk, heading out the door and ignoring the man completely now. He climbed into his baby, not Seth, and checked the time. Perfect. He drove down the street and threw his keys to a guy who looked fresh out of high school. "One scratch on my baby and I'll knock you into next year, pal." he growled happily to him.

"Of course, Mr. Ambrose!" Aw, he knew his name. Must be a local fan. Dean took a few deep breaths and headed inside. Someone led him to the table he'd reserved and he sat and waited. He didn't have to stare into space long before he heard footsteps approaching. There was Seth, in the suit he'd worn to the Slammies, staring at him as if he'd never seen him before. Dean stood up and pulled out Seth's seat for him. Once he sat back down, Seth gawked at him.

"Who are you, and where is my lovable lunatic?" he asked. Dean chuckled quietly.

"It's a date, genius. A real, actual, planned date. I wanted to try something different, shake things up a bit. Normal couples do this sorta thing, right? Or have I been watching too many movies?" Seth snorted a bit.

"Yeah, they do, but we're not a normal couple. What's all this about?"

"Like I said, it's a date. *averts his gaze* I know we haven't eaten good food in a while,- take out doesn't count! *Seth closes his mouth*- so I thought that... *scratches the back of his neck* **maybe** you'd appreciate somewhere fancy…" Seth took his hand across the table with a warm smile.

"I do. It's just weird seeing you like… that. And your curls-"

"Ah ah ah! If I can't complain about your blonde patch, you can't complain about my curls! Now, how about actually eating?"

"Definitely. Hmm… I bet I can eat more of the crab and lobster combo than you." He wagged his eyebrows in a challenging manner. Dean shot him his trademark grin.

"Remember what happened last time with the ribs and ham at that outback place? The outcome will still be the same." When they actually got the food, they were surprised when there were a few carts of the dish. A waitress, with a name tag reading Amanda, said, "The chef gives you his best wishes gentlemen. Help yourself." She winked at Dean, making Seth grab his hand again, and glare at her. Dean gave it a reassuring squeeze, kissing his knuckles and making his boyfriend blush, before turning towards the food. "Well, let's dig in." Seth wholeheartedly agreed, savoring the first plate of delicious seafood before eating faster and faster each plate he received. In the end, he managed to finish off the last plate, beating his boyfriend by one.

"Ugh, my stomach hurts… Ha! But I still beat you!" He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. Dean looked at him and smiled. This was supposed to be a kind of formal date. That's never the case when you're going out with Seth Rollins. It made him feel all gushy and giddy on the inside. They slowly left after paying for their mountain of food and leaving a generous tip. When they got back to the hotel groaning and holding their stomach's Roman didn't ask. He just told them to lie down and began rubbing both their stomachs comfortingly. Dean shyly reached for Seth, hesitant in his movements. Seth took his hand and brought it to him. He didn't know if he liked this nervous Dean, but he'd find out what was causing this change. Him and Roman both.


	29. Path of Roses

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Path of Roses

A/N: And the onscreen madness continues. Just a few more chapters… Just a few more weeks… And who's freaking out after hearing about all three Shield members being on the _Ambrose Asylum_ next week on RAW?! **ME**! Not much else to say, so here's chapter 29.

"Rome, have you talked to Dean lately?" Seth asked. Last week was still bothering him, and he was wondering if Roman had noticed Dean's strange behavior as well. They were walking into the arena, just the two of them, a few hours earlier than everyone else. Dean had said something about getting ready for something and that he'd catch up with them later.

"So you noticed it too. He's been pretty off since last week, hasn't he?" Roman replied. They stopped by his locker room and dropped off their stuff before heading to catering, keeping their eyes out for anyone watching them. "What'd he take you out to eat for?"

"He said he wanted to try something different. An actual date instead of us doing whatever we usually do. All we ended up doing was stuffing our faces though, so I guess that failed. He didn't seem to mind too much. I know I didn't."

"So… he took you on a date? Well, tried to, at least. Was he acting strange then?"

"Yeah, he wasn't his normal self. He was all nervous and serious. He wasn't Dean at all. Remember in high school when we first all three became friends and he was never comfortable around us? *Roman nodded* It was like that." Roman pondered over this while eating his slice of red velvet cake. Dean acting like this could mean a few things. He was either: pulling a huge prank on them, actually trying to be nice and treat his boyfriend, or had something up his sleeve. He highly doubted the first option. Still, the Dean that Seth was describing was a Dean he didn't want to get used to again.

" *sigh* As much as it's bothering me, we have to stay focused. Our match is just around the corner, man. Are you ready for Money in the Bank?" Seth slowly finished his salad (of all the things he could eat…) before replying.

"I've never been more ready for anything in my entire life."

XxX

Dean was fuming. How dare he? Kevin Owens never knew when to stay away, did he? Guess there was no escaping him. Sami Zayn would also be a thorn in his side in the upcoming match. Actually, everyone in the MITB match was someone that Dean just didn't get along with, Sami Zayn aside. No, no, focus. Seth, the surprise for Seth. He got twitchy and nervous again. Seth seemed to like the date idea. Now, how would he react to what was awaiting him at the hotel? Dean had begun brainstorming and didn't notice what he was about to walk into until a moan echoed around the hall. Dean's eyes snapped up and his jaw fell open. Just when he thought he'd gotten those two off his mind… Kevin Owens had Sami Zayn wrapped in his arms, kissing the life out of him, belt half unbuckled. They were in the middle of a hallway for God's sake! Even he and Seth weren't **that** reckless. He slowly backed away, turned around, and took the other way out of the arena. " _Kev_!" he heard from behind. He increased his pace, mood even worse than before he tried to leave the first time. He needed to see Seth. Now.

He texted to Seth: _meet me back at our room. alone. i've got a surprise for you. 'You ready, Mox_?' he asked his alter, who seemed to be bouncing off the walls of his mind with excitement.

 **'** ** _Born ready, Dean. Let's do this_**.' Dean hoped that this would turn out okay. MITB would be the night that their lives would change forever. When he won the ladder match for that contract, he'd finally have a chance at both if his brothers in the ring. He wanted the weeks building up to that to be absolutely perfect. Dean drove in silence back to the hotel, trying to clear his mind and focus on the task at hand. He stepped around his hard work when he got into the room and took a quick hot shower. He didn't bother getting dressed as he practically collapsed spread eagled on the king sized bed. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breath, then opened his eyes and looked around the room curiously. Dean had done a pretty good job arranging everything. He flexed his fingers, popped his back, his knuckles, and mentally prepared himself for what he was about to do. Seth was about to have his mind blown.

XxX

Seth had read Dean's text and shown Roman immediately. So that's why Dean stayed behind earlier. "You gonna go?" Roman questioned.

"Of course I am! He's tryin' to do something nice, Rome. I'm not gonna turn him down."

"You still don't know **why** he's doing all this though?" Seth sighed. He knew Dean was planning something, he just didn't know what. It was something serious if he was acting like some shy schoolgirl, planning things behind his back and keeping secrets from him.

"I know he has good intentions. I don't know what they are." He dropped his bag and gave the champ a long, emotion filled hug. "I will find out what's going on, but I can't do it on my own."

"What am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to just demand to know what's going on in his head? I'll help, but I doubt I can do much. Still, *slaps his shoulder and grins* go get him, tiger."

"You're helpful," he mumbled teasingly as he grabbed his things and hopped into his car. He tried not to speed to meet his boyfriend, literally on the edge of his seat as he rushed through the hotel lobby, waited impatiently in an elevator that seemed to stop on **every** floor that wasn't his, and struggled to get his key card to work properly before finally getting into his room. The sight that met his eyes made him wearing skinny jeans a lot more painful than it should have been. The lights had been dimmed almost completely and he could smell the barbeque from there. A trail of red and white rose petals along with scented candles were scattered across the floor in a winding path and led to the large bed on the far side of the room. A moan was ripped from him when he looked at it. Dean, in all his naked glory, lay waiting for him on the bed, limbs spread out with a content smile gracing his lips. And when his eyes traveled lower… Seth was surprised his knees hadn't given out yet.

"So, whatcha think about all this, hot stuff?" the sapphire eyed wrestler inquired. The former two toned man didn't give a reply. Instead, he dropped what he was holding and made his way over to him, leaving a trail of clothes in his wake. Seth's eyes were completely clouded with love and lust by the time they were face to face. He dived in for a fiery, breathtaking kiss before saying, "I fucking love it, Mox." The alter chuckled at the blunt response.

"Let's have some fun then. You can do whatever you want to me. Plus, *reaches for something on the nightstand* I even bought you some whipped cream." Moxley told him in a low voice. The thought of a pliant and willing **Moxley** , of all people, was almost too much for Seth. Oh the things he could do to him… He shifted and crawled to the other side of the bed where he found: a pair of handcuffs, leather straps, a tie, a belt, a blindfold, a few sex toys that shall remain unnamed, lube, the whipped cream, of course, and a few things the champion didn't recognize that Moxley gladly, almost over enthusiastically, explained.

"Won't that hurt you?" Seth asked skeptically. He knew the alter could take a lot of abuse, but some of this was just borderline… He shuddered just thinking about it. Moxley scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Seth, I'm **Jon Moxley**. I live for pain, it's what I crave. I love pain mixed with pleasure, always have. Don't worry, Dean does too. 'Course, you already knew that though, didn't you?" Seth laughed nervously. "Don't worry, seriously. We'll be fine."

"Is he… you know…?"

"Probably not. Maybe, but probably not. It **is** my show tonight. I'm running this body at the moment."

The thought of Dean tuning into what was happening was both creepy and a tun on for him. "Why is he doing all this? Do you know? First the note, the date, then this. He's been acting like some nervous teenager with a huge crush these days," he said, peppering the alter's neck with light kisses. Moxley tried hard to hold back a groan to answer his question.

"Because he *gasp* loves you, you idiot. And it all leads up to that one moment. You'll see…" The alter closed his eyes in pleasure as Seth's lips traveled lower and lower, eventually reaching… "Seth, sweetness!" he practically screamed. Seth smirked and continued his task. Unbeknownst to them, Roman had decided to sneak back to see just what Dean had planned for Seth. Silently, he opened the door and tiptoed a few steps into the room. His eyes widened at the path of rose petals and candles leading to the other side of the room where… The oldest brother smiled softly and quietly retreated out of the room. He could always room with AJ (who he'd grown closer to during their feud, strangely enough) or his cousins anyway.

The two lovers continued this ritual into the early hours of the morning, having used every object to do just about anything imaginable to each other. Dean came to first, feeling like he was on cloud nine and, dare he say and remember, high almost. He didn't know what went on last night, but he felt amazing, like he was experiencing a never ending afterglow. He grinned when he saw a content and adorkable Seth curled up in his arms, smiling like there was no tomorrow. His guardian angel, his soulmate, his one and only, slowly stirred, eyes straining open. He looked over at Dean and pressed a tender kiss to his lips. "Did you enjoy the surprise?" the older man asked.

"Is enjoy even a strong enough word? Nope, I don't think it is. It was so… just… amazing isn't even good enough to describe…" The brunette snickered.

"Are you still feeling it too?" Seth nodded, snuggling into Dean's chest like a cat. There was a knock at the door followed by an electronic _beep!_ as the door swung open.

"Morning lovebirds. You two have a good time last night?" Roman's disheveled hair indicated he'd awoken not too long ago. He usually fixed his oh so perfect hair before leaving their room in the mornings. He'd come over in a hurry. Dean and Seth began to feel worried.

"What is it, Ro?" Roman fidgeted a bit.

"I just got a call from Shane. Apparently, the _Ambrose Asylum_ is back next week." Dean pumped his fist in the air and Seth shook his head in amusement. "But," he continued, "the guests are…" He didn't want to finish that sentence. Everyone but Shane thought that he and Seth had gotten into a fight that once again put the Shield on the edge of destruction. They couldn't be seen together, couldn't really talk to each other unless it was after a show, had to try and not break kayfabe. Shane had convinced Stephanie and the rest of the world that they were on opposite sides again, and they couldn't ruin it.

"Don't leave us hangin' here, Rome. Who are they?" Roman cast his eyes downward and sighed, defeated.

"The guests… They're us." Both lovers froze and tried their best to process the information. Roman and Seth… in the same ring… with Dean… Lord help them all.

"According to the current storylines: You two hate each other, I haven't been in touch with either one of ya, and we never made up, reformed the Shield and all that. How are we gonna work this out?" Seth kept opening and closing his mouth. He had great ideas, until he actually thought about them and knew they were all a steaming pile of crap. How were they going to work things out?

"We'll figure it out as we go. We'll think of something, wow the fans. We always do." Dean feigned shock, hand over his chest, breathing all hard.

"The mighty Architect doesn't have a plan? What's gotten into you these days?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Seth replied, harsher than he meant to. Roman gave him a scolding look that he ignored while Dean just kissed his cheek like it was the most casual question in the world.

"I love you, and I haven't shown you that enough. That's what's gotten into me. I'm tryin' to express my feelings. You know I'm not good with words. There a problem with that?" Seth believed that statement, but at the same time he didn't. It was true, but it wasn't the whole truth. He could feel it in his gut. There was something more to the story here, a missing piece of the puzzle.

"No, it's just weirdin' me out."

"I can stop if you want…" Dean's voice was sad and held a hint of guilt. The last thing he wanted to do was get on Seth's nerves when he was really just trying to make him happy. Seth heard the tone of his voice and immediately apologized.

"No, no, it's fine! I'm sorry! It's just… you haven't been **you** lately, and I was worried."

"Am I being overly affectionate?" the brunette asked in a lower voice. Seth smirked.

"There's nothing wrong with that. I actually like it." Seth started tracing patterns across Dean's back as the two slowly kissed. Roman gave an exasperated smile.

"Get a room you two!" Roman exclaimed. "We have bigger issues to worry about here!"

"We did get a room. You're in it. And we know that we've got bigger issues. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, hmm?" The raven haired man sighed.

"I guess… So, who's up for breakfast?" All three men's stomachs growled at that question. They all shared a laugh at that. "I'll take that as everybody."


	30. On A Collision Course

Chapter Thirty: On a Collision Course

A/N: *Fangirl Freakout scream heard around the world* The die-hard fan in me is losing its mind after that _Ambrose Asylum_ segment! Sunday needs to get here already. The wait for MITB is killing me! Depending on what happens, I might end things the RAW after MITB. It depends. Anyway, here's the next chapter, one of the last few… Disclaim: I, unfortunately, own nothing you recognize except my story and ideas. One day, however, I will have a right to say I own something associated with the company. Until then…

It was the week before Money in the Bank. Everyone knew the stakes, the risks, the opportunity that awaited them if they came out on top. It was this that motivated Dean Ambrose at the moment. Well, that and his master plan at the PPV that is. Until Sunday though, he'd have to settle for his meeting with his lovers on his talk show, the Ambrose Asylum. It was the first time all three of them would be in the ring at the same time since Seth's time as the Authority's lackey (excluding their unofficial reunion of course). Dean was bouncing on his toes with nervous energy, throwing a few jabs at the air in front of him, popping his neck. He was ready for this, and he wasn't just talking about their segment on RAW. "Baby, will you calm down?" Seth asked him, both amused and annoyed. "You don't even have a match yet." Dean turned to him with a giddy expression.

"I know. I've just got all this energy in me. It's nervous, it's excited, it's angry, it's happy. I can't help it. I can't stay still!" Seth rolled his eyes with a smile. They were in the ring in the partially set up arena rehearsing their lines for later in the show. It'd been over a year since they'd needed to, but it felt good to be together like this. Plus, it gave them an excuse to be seen together without trying to rip each other's heads off. Roman glanced down at his script and looked surprised for a moment.

"… After hitting Seth with a Superman punch, Dean hits me with a Dirty Deeds and… Huh, will you look at that." Dean looked over his script as well as Seth and grinned at the last part he read.

"Finally, I'm standin' on top after the dust settles! And are you gonna try to pull your punch this time, Ro?" the brunette asked with a smirk. The last time Seth had gotten hit by that punch, he was sure Roman had shattered his jaw. Seth gulped and looked at his oldest brother. Roman seemed to contemplate it for a minute.

"No promises, but we'll see. Wanna do another run through?" They did a run through up until the part where Seth would shove Dean into Roman. Instead of letting Seth push him, Dean evaded the attempt and pushed the former champ into the turnbuckle instead. He had a hand on either side of his head and standing in a way that would block any attempt to escape.

"Dean? What-?" The older man kissed him fiercely, biting Seth's bottom lip and using his tongue to ask for access into his mouth. The Armenian tried holding back a moan while Dean continued this. Roman shook his head in exasperation. It could be worse. A lot worse.

"I have to get rid of all this energy somehow," he replied. Seth gasped as he nipped at his neck, pulling a little on Dean's hair before coming to his senses. He slowly pushed them out of the corner before putting some space between them.

"Later. People could see us. We don't like each other, remember?"

"Does it look like I care?"

"Guys, the show starts soon. We need to get back there," Roman interrupted, "before the fans start coming in and see us." They complied and headed backstage, eager for the show to start.

XxX

Monday Night RAW

The _Ambrose Asylum_

 _Retaliation_ rang around the arena and Dean Ambrose marched down to the ring with high spirits and a screaming crowd. He was a bit nervous. He didn't know if he could keep his feelings in check at this point. He didn't know if he could hold himself back from revealing to the whole world what was really going on with the Shield. Just one kiss and everyone would know… He couldn't think about it now that he was out here though. Just stick to the script, that's all you have to do. He could be the quirky, unorthodox, goofball for now.

"Back by popular demand… Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the _Ambrose Asylum_! Now they say Wrestlemania only happens once a year, so I don't know if I just woke up from a coma or if I'm in some kind of a time warp or something? 'Cause to me, this Sunday? Money in the Bank feels like a whole 'nother Wrestlemania. I mean, we got a money in, Money in the Bank contract ladder match with the most loaded field that I have ever seen. And I'm not just sayin' that because I'm in it. And we got two matches that could easily main event a Wrestlemania. One of those matches is what I wanna talk about tonight. A very interesting matchup two years in the making… Seth Rollins versus Roman Reigns." The crowd didn't bother trying to contain their excitement. Cheers were heard all around.

" _Ooooooooo_. So, a lot of questions are gonna get answered this Sunday. Can John Cena hang with the New Era? *nervously glances and pulls on the neck of his T-shirt* Will Charlotte ever be the same without Ric Flair? What does Chris Jericho _sound_ like when he falls off of a ladder? Who's better: Roman or Seth? A lot of questions are gonna get answered this Sunday at Money in the Bank, but that's in Las Vegas, Nevada and tonight we're right here in New Orleans!" The crowd cheered for their city. "So let's get right down to business and welcome my guest. Up first, *points to the entrance ramp* the scum of the Earth, Seth Rollins!" _The Second Coming_ played and Seth strutted down the ring, accepting, grudgingly, a one armed hug from Dean and wiping off his shirt with his hands in (fake) disgust. "And of course, the WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Roman Reigns." The crowd instantly booed he last member of the Shield as he was announced. Roman walked confidently down to the ring as _The Truth Reigns_ hit. Seth throws him a glare and Roman gives a knowing smile. He accepts a friendly handshake from Dean.

The two former brothers stand face to face, across from each other. Dean looks back and forth between them, a grin etched onto his face. Seth and Roman are scrutinizing the crowd as the Lunatic Fringe smiles on. "This is great, huh? *chuckles* This is fun. Alright, I mean, let's get right down to it, alright? It is a talk show. I have a talk show now. It's a pretty cool deal. Seth, you suffered a devastating injury to your knee and the world wants to know: *scoots closer to Seth* How is the knee?" Seth gives him an annoyed look. He knew Dean was still concerned about it. He'd voiced as much backstage when he was medically cleared. Still, he had to play his part, unfortunately.

"Have you not watched my special on the WWE Network?" Dean gives him a guilty look. "I'll take that as a no. For your information, my knee is 100%. **Ready to go**. *stares at Roman*"

"Good," Dean said. "Good. That's good news. What about the face? Does the face hurt?" Seth gave him a confuzzled look.

"What? What are you talkin' abou-"

" 'Cause it's _killin' me_!" Seth looked frustrated as the crowd, and Roman, laughed alongside the brunette. "Every time. Now Roman, what about you brother? What's goin' on? *puts a hand on his shoulder* How's the big easy treatin' ya?"

Roman replied, "Pretty good," much to the dismay of the fans. "A little mixed, but it was pretty good on Bourbon Street last night."

"So you're havin' a good time? Havin' a good time in New Orleans. What about you, Seth? Havin' a good time? Pickin' up those 99¢ margaritas? They give you a headache, but they're good." Seth continued to looked pissed off at Dean's teasing. If it weren't for scripts, he'd have said something back to embarrass his boyfriend. Oh well. "C'mon, sourpuss! Don't be such a party pooper. We're havin' fun man, this is a talk show. _Relaaaax_. Nobody's tryin' to jump out of a big gift box and beat you up or anything. Chill out. Calm down, give us a smile, have some fun. I mean we haven't all been in the ring together in how long? We used to have so much fun in the ring, man," Dean whined. "Chill out. Don't be such a _ **party pooper**_ _!"_ he demanded. Seth looked just about done with all this. He was just about done as soon as the crowd started chanting "Party pooper!" at him.

"Hey, I'm not a party pooper! We did have so pretty good times. You don't gotta do all that, I mean… Actually, New Orleans. The Superdome, right across the street? Wrestlemania, a couple of years ago, right? *they nod with him* Wasn't too bad. We took out those old fogies, The New Age Outlaws and Kane. It was a pretty good time. I mean, and hey, what about London, right? The helicopter. We flew in, wrestled the Undertaker and Team Hell No. That was pretty awesome right? Or hey, hey! Roman, Uce, what about that sushi train? In Japan, right? The little, the one with the conveyer belt that went around? We did it. *Roman smiles fondly at him* You're right, we did have some good times. Or what about, hey. Uh, we found Ambrose, unconscious, by that dumpster. What-What- What town were we in? Uh, Salt Lake?"

"I don't remember it at all," Dean said quietly.

"Nah, it was Albuquerque," Roman answered with a grin. "Yeah, it was Albuquerque,"

"Albuquerque. It was Albuquerque. Nailed it, nailed it. Fine. Fine, Dean, you're right. We did have some pretty good times together. It wasn't all bad. You know what? The best times that I ever had, in this ring, were with you guys. Nah, nah, we won titles together, man. We traveled the world together. And, I mean, the six-man tags are legendary. What about that one against the Wyatt family at Elimination Chamber, huh? Or the two we had against Evolution? Not too shabby. I mean, we- We sent big Batista packing. I mean, come to think about it, Dave, he actually owes us a favor 'cause now he's a big Hollywood star, right?"

"That's what I keep sayin'!" Dean exclaims. The crowd briefly erupts into cheers of "Bootista! Bootista!" (Grrr! How dare they?!)

"Hey, look, for real though? For real? The best time I ever had in a ring, with you guys… was when I took a chair, and put it in your back!" Seth shouted, an evil smile settling on his face. Just when you thought the old Seth was back. What did they expect? A heel turn because he let nostalgia get to him? "And look, Dean, I know you weren't there, but this was a big Shield moment too. How 'bout at Wrestlemania when I stole your moment, cashed in my Money in the Bank contract, and became the first member of the Shield to hold that World Heavyweight Championship, huh? Those were some good moments, right?" Seth laughed maniacally for a second and Dean laughed with him. He could tell that Seth was just trying to rile Roman up, provoke him. He was not about to let a fight erupt on his show. Uh uh, not happening.

"Ahaha! Ah, c'mon guys. Calm down, calm down. Easy there, fella. Let's not- Let's not have one of _those_ kind of shows, alright? Let's get back on track, alright? I got business here, alright? *puts a hand on Roman's chest* Let's talk about Money in the Bank this Sunday. Roman, WWE World Heavyweight Championship match. Big title defense. What can we expect?"

With a hard look thrown Seth's way, he says, "Big dog walks in as champ, the big dog walks out as champ."

"Now, now that's an interesting way to put it, champ, because Seth Rollins believes that you are not the rightful champion. He believes he never lost that championship. I mean, Seth, is that how you feel?"

"Did he ever beat me for that championship?" Seth questioned with an attitude.

"Okay. I know I didn't really explain the rules to ya, but this is my talk show, alright? And I ask the questions around here. So, alright, Roman, how do you feel about that?"

"If you're the rightful champ, then why do I have this?" Dean sidestepped in front of the champion and blocked his path to his boyfriend.

"Heheh, I just explained to Seth here, buddy. I ask the questions here, alright? That's kinda my deal, okay? Seth, why does he have this?" The former two toned man looked about ready to punch Dean's lights out. Dean really hoped that was just Seth's good acting and not how he actually felt.

"He's got that *points to the title* because my knee caved out from carrying this company on my back for the better part of last year! Ya know what?! While I was gone, he earned it because, if I'm not mistaken, at Survivor Series, he beat you," he said to Dean. The crowd went, "Oh!". Dean nodded, knowing it was true. "Couple months later, he took care of Sheamus, and at the biggest Wrestlemania of all time, he beat the Game, Triple H. So yeah, you earned it, big man. But one thing you haven't done, is _beat me_. D'you know why? Because you can't beat me, because I am better than you! Because I am two steps ahead of you **every** step of the way, and there's nothin' you can do about it! And you know what? We're a lot alike. We are a lot alike, but there is one big difference. You couldn't do that without me. If I wouldn't have held your hand all those years in the Shield, you'd be nothing! If I wouldn't have gotten hurt and had to vacate that title, you woulda never won it! And everything that I've accomplished? I did it all on my own! All the risks, the gambles that I took, I did it all on my own. And at Money in the Bank, I'm gonna take back the title that I never lost. **On! My! Own!** "

Dean looked at him in smiling disbelief. " _On your own_? Okay, so there gonna be no J &J Security, no Authority, no Corporate Kane? Police the army, the marines, the Navy Seals, whoever you can have to protect you? None of that's gonna happen this time?"

"Nah, he's right. He's right. He did this on his own. He screwed me at Wrestlemania _on his own._ He broke up our group. **Our** group, _on his own._ And you didn't just break up the Shield, man. You broke up a brotherhood. We were your boys, we were your friends. We had your back. We were the **only** ones in this company that had your back!" For a moment, Seth looked down in shame. "For what? Freedom, limelight? What, you wanna be famous? *shakes his head* You wanna be "the man"? You wanna run around here and call yourself "the man"? You want the spotlight? You're gonna have the spotlight on Sunday because you're gonna be on your own, in the ring, with me. And after Money in the Bank, they're not gonna call me "the guy" because I'm the champ. They're gonna call me "the guy" because I beat **you**." The two stared each other down, Dean smiling in between them while they exchanged death glares.

"So there you have it ladies and gentlemen. This Sunday, live on the WWE Network, Money in the Bank, World Heavyweight Championship on the line, the question will be answered. Who's gonna walk out WWE World Heavyweight Champion? Will it be Seth Rollins, the man who claims he never lost his championship. Or, will it be Roman Reigns, "the guy", the champ. Or…? Or… What if **I** win the Money in the Bank contract? *looks up at the briefcase* And whether it's you *looks at Seth * or whether it's you *looks at Roman*, I cash in that same night and I walk out WWE World Heavyweight Champion?!" Seth had that smug look on his face, saying that would never happen. As Dean's music hit, he exchanged some last minute words before leaving. Out of nowhere, Seth shoves Dean into Roman, the champ thrown onto the arena floor and out of the ring. Seth delivered swift kicks to Dean's midsection, attempting to pick him up before Dean flipped him onto his back and hit him with a flurry of punches. Roman rejoined them, throwing Dean off of Seth. Still looking out for his little brother, Seth caught him off guard, looking for a Pedigree before he ducked out of the way of a clothesline from Dean. Seth bounced off the ropes, eating a superman punch from the champ. As Roman stared down his fallen nemesis, Dean turned him around and shocked him with a Dirty Deeds. He picked up his talk show sign, pacing around the ring above his felled comrades, and staring at what he hoped would be his briefcase this Sunday. He alternated between staring down at Seth and the briefcase, pointing at the prize on the line in the ladder match. One thing was certain in Dean's book: He was going to walk out Sunday as Mr. Money in the Bank, and one way or another, he would capture that title. Even if it meant pinning his brothers to do so.

XxX

"Owww. Rome, couldn't you have pulled that punch?" Seth was rubbing his sore jaw gingerly, sitting on Dean's lap watching the John Cena versus AJ Styles contract signing. Dean pressed feather light kisses to where he was rubbing his jaw, trying to comfort him.

"Tell your boyfriend to not hit me so hard with his finisher next time then." Roman still had trouble walking straight, the world tilting ever so slightly every few steps he took. His head hurt, but it wasn't anything too serious.

"Maybe you should start paying more attention to me. They call me the Lunatic Fringe for a reason, ya know. Unpredictable… Dang, and I have a match later, too… Oh well. Anyway…" As the playful banter continued, Shane McMahon appeared around the corner, heading towards them.

"Everything alright, guys?" They nodded, Dean giving him an, "Uh huh." Shane smiled. "Well, this is it. Sunday is the big day. Have you got a plan for how you want things to go down?"

"Yep. Pretty elaborate. It'll get a huge pop. No one's gonna know what hit 'em. I might get fired-" He corrected his sentence when he saw Seth's reaction, "-or suspended, stripped of the briefcase, my rights, whatever. It's, heh, it's crazy is all I'll say."

"The crazier the better. Stephanie won't believe it when she sees it I bet. Well, I'll leave you gentlemen be. I still have a show to run, after all." Shane gives a polite nod and leaves.

"Six days. Six. Days. Think it'll work?" Dean asked Roman, a much deeper meaning in the question. Roman looked into his eyes. He was asking about **that** plan, wasn't he?

" 'Course it will. It'll be absolutely perfect," he replied. Seth looked between the both of them, knowing something was up. He knew that the match plan for MITB wasn't what they were talking about. Dean had been acting weird the last few weeks, and now Roman? They were on a collision course to the PPV. Money in the Bank. That's when his questions would be answered, and, for some reason, he couldn't wait.


	31. Make My Worries Disappear

Chapter Thirty-One: Make My Worries Disappear

A/N: This chapter doesn't really add much to the story. It was just rattling around in my brain for some reason. Because Ambrollins continues to infect my mind and I just can't wait for tonight, here's a filler chapter. *sigh* This is what happens when you binge read all the stories that contain your favorite pairing… In which Dean and Seth comfort each other before MITB. References to Smackdown! with a tiny bit of fluff and pointless bits of smut along with a ride on Seth and Dean's emotional rollercoasters.

Seth's mind was a mess. Dean and Roman were worrying the Hell out of him with their weird, weirder for Dean, abnormal behavior. He knew Dean had good intentions, but he couldn't help but fear the worst. What if Dean was doing all this as a last act of love? What if he planned on leaving Seth after Sunday? What if he walked out on them, ignored the plan, and just disappeared? Seth would never know what he did wrong or what the problem with them was. He didn't know why these thoughts and feelings were assaulting him all of a sudden, but they just were. Maybe it was the pressure. It was the Friday before the PPV after all. He had a huge match against his best friend/second lover for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and a career changing, risky, life or death plan to execute. His brain worked a mile a minute as everything that could possibly go wrong turned into a never ending nightmare in his head. He ended up with his knees drawn to his chest by his arms, silently sobbing as tears cascaded down his bearded face. He jumped when he felt Dean's Vegas apartment bed dip slightly.

"Seth, what's a matter?" Dean asked quietly, strangely calm. The formerly two toned man let out a strangled sob, refusing to answer. Dean huffed, sidling up beside him and pulling his lover against him. "I'm not leavin' till I get an answer… C'mon, pretty boy, look at me." Seth sniffled and raised his head.

"You haven't called me that since high school…" he whispered brokenly, a weak smile trying to break out on his face. Dean smiled sadly.

"There're those beautiful brown eyes." His words were full of affection. He leaned in and kissed his tears away, Seth's eyes fluttering shut momentarily. He placed gentle kisses on his forehead and his nose before pulling away reluctantly. Seth buried his face in the crook of his soulmate's neck. "See? There they go again!" Seth chuckled a bit before another sob ripped through him. "Please, Colby. Tell me what it is that's bothering you." Whatever his boyfriend responded with was muffled by his shirt. Dean slowly rubbed circles into Seth's back, littering the top of his head with kisses. When he felt a little calmer, he raised his head a bit and spoke.

"Are you gonna leave me?" Dean looked absolutely heartbroken at that accusation. After all he'd done the last few weeks? After all the work he put in to keep them together and start a relationship? Only Seth could receive all the wrong messages from his actions. Only Seth could get this torn up about something because of his overactive mind. Clearly he'd taken everything the wrong way. "On Sunday?"

"What the fuck gave you that idea? Only you could take every act of love I've shown you these past few weeks the completely wrong way." He instantly regretted that statement when Seth's eyes welled up with tears again. "No no no, I meant- *frustrated growl* …I can't words…"

"Huh?" Seth asked, confused by the weird statement.

"I can't words. I can't talk, alright? I always express everything through actions because of moments like this. Anything that comes out of my mouth either rubs somebody the wrong way or sounds totally different from what I mean. What I'm trying to say is that I've been doing all this stuff because I love you, more than anything. You remember how long it took me to be able to say it to you? Twelve years, Colby. Twelve. I couldn't say the three most important words to the man I fell so deeply for. You know, sometimes I think I don't deserve you." Seth gaped at him. "Scratch that, I **know** I don't deserve you, so I put all my emotions, my feelings, my love, into everything I do. My mind thinks, maybe it'll show him how much he means to me. Maybe he'll know exactly what I'm trying to tell him without me having to use any words. Maybe he'll know just how afraid I am of losing him again…"

"You won't lose me. Never again, Jon," Seth told him.

"Then you should know that I'm not goin' anywhere anytime soon." They looked deep into each other's eyes, seeing the truth and love of their words reflected back at them. Seth dove in for a desperate, apologetic kiss, feeling guilty for letting his thoughts get the best of him. "It's okay, it's not your fault," Dean whispered in between kisses. He kissed along Seth's jaw and down his neck, still rubbing comforting circles into his lover's back. He laid them down, arms going to Seth's waist and pulling them close.

"Ya know, for a guy who can't talk, you sure know how to convince someone." Seth said, lips upturned in an almost smile.

"Shut up," Dean snickered playfully. Seth rested his head on his lover's chest, breathing out a sigh of relief. They fell asleep like that, worried minds, for the most part, at peace.

XxX

Dean awoke to open mouthed, wet kisses being placed all along his stomach. His muscles jumped when Seth trailed his fingers along them. He moaned as Seth laid more of his kisses on his inner thighs. It just occurred to the brunette that he was naked, as was Seth, even though they'd gone to bed fully clothed. When did that happen? Seth's hands traveled lower, in between his legs. He let out a low groan as Seth started jerking him off at a torturously slow pace. The Armenian drank in all the little noises of pleasure Dean made before licking him teasingly. Dean tried not bucking his hips, letting Seth set the pace for everything. "Consider this my apology."

"F-For?" Dean stammered.

"Last night." Without another word, he took Dean fully into his mouth until he hit the back of his throat. Dean's eyes fluttered closed, hands furiously gripping the sheets. He knew if he gripped Seth's hair that he'd become impatient. Seth's hands wandered up to his lover's nipples. He rubbed them softly before pinching them.

"Harder!" the brunette gasped. Seth obliged, pinching harder, hollowing his cheeks out and sucking in earnest. Dean's groans turned into long, drawn out, loud moans that probably woke all the neighbors on the street. Seth then moved a few of his fingers away from Dean's chest and towards his face. He took his soulmate's fingers into his mouth, licking at them and coating them in his saliva. After a minute or two, Seth pulled them out of his mouth and slowly and carefully inserted a finger into Dean. The older man arched his back in pleasure. Seth inserted another, brushing against that certain bundle of nerves in his lover. " _Seth_!" he practically screamed. The dual points of pleasure were beginning to be too much for him. He was inching closer and closer to his release as he fucked himself on Seth's fingers while enjoying a blowjob at the same time. Heat pooled in his stomach and his nerves were ablaze. He was about to go over the edge when Seth slowed his pace, trying to give Dean as much pleasure as possible for as long as possible. He did this a few times, before Dean couldn't stand it any longer. "Please…" he whispered. Seth met his eyes before speeding up his pace, Dean once again making a variety of noises that did nothing but spur Seth on. They both came with loud cries, Seth swallowing down everything he got while trying to ride out the waves of his pleasure.

"Fuck me," Seth mumbled, collapsing on top of Dean. His boyfriend grinned, still on cloud nine.

"Right now or later?" Seth faceplanted onto his chest, too spent to shoot back a snarky comment.

"That's another pair of sheets I need to wash now." Dean huffed at him.

"I can do my own laundry."

"But you don't."

"And your point is?" Before the former two toned man could answer, they heard the from door slam. "Did Ro go out for somethin'?"

"Yeah," Seth replied, trying his best to sit up, but failing successfully. "He got us breakfast."

"You just had breakfast." Seth lifted his face up and gave him an unreadable look before rolling over to the other side of the bed.

"Really?" He tossed Dean a shirt, some boxers, and a pair of sweatpants from one of the drawers. He grabbed some for himself and tried to get dressed. His high still hadn't completely worn off yet, however, leaving Dean to help dress him.

"C'mon, lift your arms up. I know getting dressed isn't this complicated, Seth." Seth managed to pull on rest of the clothes without much hassle. Dean captured his lips, tasting faint traces of himself still. He smirked, intertwining his and Seth's hands before joining Roman in the small kitchen. He had a few plates of biscuits and gravy, along with a few different sandwiches and coffees. "You're the man, Ro."

"No, **I'm** the man. **He's** the guy."

"Kayfabe doesn't exist here, babe, so shush." They chatted about the little things, rumors, anything they could think of to fill the silence. Dean grabbed a biscuit off his plate, dunked it into his gravy, and ate half the thing in one bite. The other two took much longer than Dean to eat, hardly halfway done by the time he was finished. Ladies and gentlemen, Dean the Bottomless Pit Ambrose. He tried sneaking another biscuit off of Seth's plate, but the Architect simply moved the plate onto his lap, sipping his coffee. "You think that'll stop me? If anything, now I want one even more!" Roman rolled his eyes, taking a few bites out of his sandwich.

"Dude, enough. I'm pretty sure the whole neighborhood heard you two this morning. I know I did, and I was in the driveway!" Seth blushed while Dean smirked. Dean with his devil may care attitude. Roman sighed, signaling that the conversation was taking a turn towards seriousness. "Tomorrow is it. Can you believe? Two years. They've kept us apart for **two years**. Nothing's gonna stop us now." Seth wholeheartedly agreed, but Dean seemed uncertain for some reason. Seth shot him a concerned look.

"Okay, fess up. You've been worried out of your mind every time we bring this up. What is bothering you?" Dean's fingers tapped an erratic rhythm on his thigh. Two things concerned him about tomorrow. One, he could use as an excuse. The other, only he Roman knew about, and he definitely couldn't tell Seth that. That was what really had him on edge.

"It's just… what if I don't win the briefcase?" It wasn't a total lie, but it wasn't what was bothering him the most. "There's five other guys I have to plow through. One of them's actually won it and cashed in before and another freakin' created the match! I'll have been in this ladder match three times come tomorrow. Every time, I've been screwed out of a fair shot at winning. How do we know it won't be any different this time?" Seth slammed his plate down on the table, startling the other two.

"We've worked too hard for anyone to lose. **You** are not one to give up. You fight when there's no shot at winning. You fight when everyone tells you that you don't have a chance at winning. Are you just gonna give up because of a little self doubt?" Dean looked away from him, eyes directed towards the floor. "You **will** win the contract. I feel it in my gut, I know it. Then, we'll finally have that triple threat match we deserve… You're Dean Fucking Ambrose… *shakes his head* Since when are you one to give up?" Seth got up and tossed his dishes in the sink, walking back into the bedroom and slamming the door. Roman stared at it for a moment before turning back to Dean.

"Way to avoid **that** question," Roman muttered.

"Well, I wasn't lying. There's a chance I might not win. The odds are stacked against me. And with the way the company is-"

"But that's not what's bothering you." Dean clenched and unclenched his fists nervously.

"What if he says no, Roman? I just- How can we be the Shield knowing that things won't ever be the same after that question?"

"He's gonna say yes, Dean."

"You don't know that!"

" **Yes** ," Roman emphasized, " **I do** , so stop worrying about it before he gets even more suspicious."

"But-" the brunette began.

"I don't wanna hear it. *puts rest of the plates in sink* Go calm him down, reassure him that you're fine, relax a little. You won't really have any time to tomorrow." The Cincinnati native nodded after a moment, getting up and leaving Roman alone in the kitchen. The Samoan was surprised worries hadn't crossed his mind, but he could just tell that everything would work out for them at Money in the Bank. No what ifs, no technicalities, no interferences, no foul play. They'd be the Shield again, and they'd be stronger than ever before.

A/N: It's finally Sunday. The last chapter probably won't be up until Tuesday, maybe later. Gotta watch MITB, RAW, and decide how this is going to end. Thanks for those of you who've stuck with me this long and endured my horrible writing for the better part of five-ish months. I'll see you guys later this week.


	32. Sierra! Hotel! India! U Get What I Mean

Chapter Thirty-Two: Sierra! Hotel! India!- You Get What I Mean

A/N: HOLY %$#! MY INNER FANGIRL IS GOING **INSANE**! _ **DEAN AMBROSE IS WWEWH CHAMPION!**_ LET THE REIGN OF THE LUNATIC FRINGE BEGIN! Okay, calming down now… Mostly… The grand finale has arrived! Drama and madness ensue as the story comes to a close. I… my MITB predictions for the big matches were actually right. AJ beat Cena, Dean won the briefcase AND cashed it in successfully. Is the world ending tomorrow? Welp, here's your last chapter. I'll have the epilogue up a little later. Final Disclaimer: This fanfic author is a proud WWEFanGirl who owns nothing, makes no profit off this story, and appreciates every person who supported this fic, etc. Read, leave your thoughts, and enjoy!

"…- Will you marry a lunatic like me?" Seth's whole world froze. All the cheers, chants of _Yes!_ , screams of _What?!_ , basically every sound was drowned out. All he could hear was his racing heartbeat thudding impossibly loud in his ears. The only thing he could see was Dean. Everyone and everything around him didn't even exist in that moment because _holy fucking shit_ , Dean Ambrose is proposing to him! Forget that they're breaking kayfabe live, at a PPV of all things, but it's an actual, unscripted, heartfelt, real life proposal. Forget that he just won the WWE World Heavyweight title, forget that he and Roman just had a stellar match, forget that his soulmate was Mr. Money in the Bank not one hour ago and had successfully cashed in on him. He was rooted to the spot, paralyzed with shock. His eyes were wide, mouth opening and closing of its own accord, struggling to say the one word he'd been dying to answer with. He thought he was ready for this, had been expecting this moment, just not tonight. ' _Shit! Answer him, Rollins! You look like an idiot!_ ' Dean's hopeful and nervous smile quickly morphed into a look of pure dread. Seth hadn't answered, hadn't moved, shown any signs of life since he'd gotten down on one knee.

"Babe, talk to me," he said worriedly. Roman stood uncomfortably in the ring corner opposite of them. He knew both of them wanted this more than anything. Why wouldn't Seth say something? It's so obvious what his answer is! Dean looked about ready to burst into tears. Champion or not, there'd be no use celebrating without Seth giving him the answer he so craves. He didn't look like he'd survive this if Seth said no. He didn't know how any of them would survive this if Seth said no. Everyone backstage must be losing their minds, creative, Hunter, Stephanie, Shane, and Vince especially. The announcers certainly were, Byron Saxton and JBL outraged and almost livid already at the record time cash in. A marriage proposal would throw them over the edge into borderline insanity by the sounds of it.

Dean's body had been on fire earlier. He'd won the money in the Bank briefcase, showing up Kevin Owens on that ladder with satisfaction in the process, to earn a shot at the prize he'd coveted for years on end. He was on an adrenaline high, most of the locker room congratulating and giving him props for the outstanding match and long, hard fought victory. The plan was going perfectly so far. All he needed to do was wait for Roman and Seth's match to end. Boy, would the WWE Universe be in for a surprise when everything was said and done, literally, at the end of the show. He'd checked his back pocket to make sure it was still there at least a dozen times before he heard the bell ring, signaling the end of the title match. Seth had gotten back his title, clean he might add, in his first match back against his brother/on screen nemesis. Then, Dean had cashed in and won the title, setting his adrenaline and confidence level past the max. Now, here he was, asking the love of his life to marry him in front of millions of people, energy dwindling every second his soulmate was silent. His hope returned when Seth raised his mic, the crowd hushing to near silence. "Jon," he said, voice cracking slightly. Everyone was on the edge of their seats, holding their breath to hear his response. Seth opened his mouth and gave his answer.

XxX (Resumes where previous chapter left off)

Earlier…

Dean slowly and quietly opened his bedroom door. Seth sat on the edge of the bed, eyes closed, ear buds in, head in his hands, oblivious to the world. Dean tiptoed over, careful not to disturb him. He tried going around to the side to surprise Seth until the former two toned man spoke up. "Even when you're trying to be quiet, I still know you're there, Dean. You're not the only ninja around here." The brunette chuckled.

"Takes one to know one, I guess." he said nonchalantly. He sat down beside him, causing Seth to pull one of his earbuds out and sigh.

"If you're gonna apologize, don't bother. God knows we've all got our doubts going into tomorrow. Me and Rome have a surefire way of making sure the right person is champ at the end of the night. You? You don't know what the other five guys are gonna do, who they'll team up with, who they'll target. Heck, you don't even like half your opponents." He sighed again. "You have every right to be worried, but you shouldn't be."

"I know, and I'm-"

"Don't say it." Seth interrupted.

"Alright, alright. I'm… I'm not worried. Really, I'm not. Just can't rule out every possibility, right? Gotta be prepared for the worst. It's not gonna happen, I won't let it happen." Dean declared, trying to reassure Seth. He seemed convinced, the mood of the conversation becoming considerably lighter.

"Worse case scenario, right?"

"Heh, right." Dean laid his head on his boyfriend's shoulder, hugging his side. Seth slung an arm around him and returned the hug. They stayed like that for a while, just enjoying each other's company and drinking in the comfortable silence.

"Have you ever thought about…?" Dean began to ask. Seth gave him a puzzled look.

"About?"

"... Have you ever thought about where this, us, is gonna go? Like havin' a family and kids and stuff?" Well that came out of the blue.

"Yeah, occasionally. Why? Wait, is that what's got you worked up?" Dean gave a shaky smile. Guilty as charged.

"I like what we are. It's just. I can't help thinking down the road. And kids. Oh boy, kids. How is that gonna work? I mean- when, if… if we decide to… if we want kids and stuff. A family. With how the job is and our lives in general and-"

"You think I'd deny you all that?" Seth questioned. Dean fell silent. "Dean, when our lives are a little less hectic and the time comes… I'm not gonna say no. Until then, don't worry about it. I want all that and more with you. It's just… Baby steps, if you're worried, baby steps." The Cincinnati native breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's just been buggin' me for a while ever since things got serious."

"Look at me. *Dean raises his head and turns to him* My answer is, and always will be, yes, to all those questions. *kisses him on the head*" Roman walks into the room after a few soft knocks.

"We gotta head down to the arena soon, guys. Get some practice in, go over stuff, find out who's doing what." The two nodded, Seth looking through Dean's drawer for some of his clothes he'd left there the last time they were here. Dean grabbed some jeans and a random T-shirt. Roman, who was already dressed, waited patiently for them. Dean grabbed his keys off the nightstand.

"Alright, let's go." They headed out. The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. The New Day would be keeping their tag titles, Rusev would retain the U.S. title, there'd be some tag team matches on the kickoff show, they were throwing in another useless Baron Corbin versus Dolph Ziggler match, Natalya turning against Becky (hopefully not for real and just in the storylines), etc. Some choreography, flips, and a few bumps later and the three were free to leave. They spent the night trying to relax and ease as much worry and tension as possible for the big day, even turning in early so they'd have clear minds in the morning.

XxX

June 19th, Sunday Night

Money in the Bank PPV

8:00 in Las Vegas, Nevada

The Money in the Bank Kickoff Show was about to end and the three Shield boys were doing their best to get into the zone before their big matches. Seth had been stretching, earbuds in, looking like RVD before a show, now settled next to (on top of) Dean. Roman was playing a game on his phone, Joelle sitting on his lap and Galina right next to him, leaning on his shoulder. Dean had his headphones in, eyes closed, lying down on a bench with his fingers tapping random rhythms on Seth's collarbone. It was a comfortable silence, everyone in their zone, their mode, having that tunnel vision.

Until Dean's phone vibrated in his pocket, causing Dean and Seth to both be startled out of their zone. Dean grumbled and unlocked it. Fucking Roman texted him when he was literally a few fucking feet away from him. This precious time is called getting into the zone for a reason! _can i talk to Seth? alone?_ Dean shot Roman a "Really?" look and reluctantly got up. Seth made a noise of complaint, latching onto Dean's arm and asking him to stay. "I'm hungry, man. Me and my bottomless pit of a stomach need some food."

"We just ate like thirty minutes ago!" Seth told him exasperatedly. Dean shrugged, giving him a peck on the cheek before heading out to catering. Now that he thought about it, hadn't he seen some chocolate lying around at the tables? Seth watched his lover leave, that uncertain feeling returning with renewed vigor.

"Relax, I asked him to give us some alone time," Roman said to him softly. Galina and Joelle left, saying they'd make sure Dean didn't stuff his face too much before his big match later. "I wanna talk, about our match… and the plan. No matter who walks out champion, we're still brothers, still lovers, still the Shield. And the plan? The spotlight's on you. You have to give them each and every detail of how it's been. Make them understand what we went through to get here. Make them understand how you feel. Dean and I can throw a few in if you miss something. Fact of the matter is, I don't want you to worry over anything. Just know that we're walkin' outta this arena together at the end of the night and the match is going to the best man."

"Guess it's going to me then. I'll try not to beat you too badly."

"Heh. You won't be saying that after you eat my spears."

"May the best man win."

"I will, don't worry." The two laughed at the jokes before Roman pulled Seth in for a passionate yet chaste kiss. "You show the world that Seth Rollins is, and will continue to be, one of the best," he said, their foreheads touching. They dived in for another kiss. He cupped Seth's face, pulling the younger man onto his lap. Of course, Dean, Galina, and Joelle chose that moment to walk back in. Galina and Dean were amused while Joelle looked shocked.

" *gasp* Uncle Dean! Uncle Seth is cheating on you! Daddy's kissing Uncle Seth! Mommy, look!" Dean chuckled, facepalming because no one explained any of this to little Jojo. It wasn't going to be him, no siree. He wasn't touching that with a ten foot pole. He glanced at his big brother's beautiful wife.

"Galina, you've got this one. I'll just… alright?" She gave him an incredulous look. This might take a while. How to put this?

"Mommy? Why was daddy kissing Uncle Seth?"

" *sighs and takes a deep breath* Well…" The boys chuckled as Galina tried to explain things to Roman's young daughter. Her face while she was listening… Thirty minutes, a few kisses and hugs, and twenty questions later, she seemed to understand it, in part at least. She gave them all funny looks, as if contemplating what to say.

"Doesn't daddy love you, mommy?" she finally decided on.

Galina replied, "Of course he does! He's allowed to love more than one person, isn't he?" Joelle nodded, still trying to piece everything together. A knock on the door interrupted them. Dean shuffled over and peeked his head out. Huh, Sami Zayn.

"Hey. I got orders to head down to gorilla. Thought I'd drop by and give you a heads up since our match is coming up."

"Thanks, Zayn. You go ahead. I'll catch up in a minute." He closed the door and let out a huge breath. "Well, this is it… *huffs* Let's do this then." Dean laced up his boots and proceeded to give both lovers a quick kiss, ruffling Joelle's hair before leaving. He calmly made his way to gorilla, waiting to be cued to head over to and through the curtain. When it was finally his turn, he walked confidently down to the ring, reveling in and feeding off of the energy of the hyped up crowd. He looked up at the briefcase, at **his** briefcase. His worries about the match disappeared. He just knew he'd win this match. And win he did. Bodies flew, crashed off ladders, finishers were executed, and chaos ensued. Sami hit a Michinoku Driver _on the_ _ **side**_ _of a ladder_ on Kevin Owens, who got his revenge later on with a powerbomb onto another ladder. Alberto had a cross armbreaker locked in on Cesaro, while they were **on** the ladder! Kevin Owens sent them tumbling down, getting caught and landing, unfortunately, on the top rope.

Near the end, Sami, several times, looked like he would win it all. He was fingertips away, **fingertips**! Each time, he was denied. Jericho, Owens, and Dean thwarted his plans. At one point, Chris Jericho had the briefcase _in his hands._ Of course, he took a little trip via free fall to the mat. In the end, it was Owens and Ambrose. They exchanged blows back and forth until Dean started slamming Kevin's head into the ladder. Finally, he fell, leaving Dean the lone man up top. He took a few more steps up, grabbing the briefcase, holding onto it, and unhooking it. He heard the bell ring, and pure shock ran through his body like an electric current. He'd won. He was Mr. Money in the Bank! He stood tall above the other five competitors, holding his prize. Third time's the charm, right?

"I… I got it," he whispered once he got backstage. A grin broke out on his face, then a deep chuckle started in his throat. It morphed into a full blown laugh, drawing the attention of a few superstars. They gave him pats on the back, congratulating him on his long overdue victory. He voiced his thanks and went to find his lovers. They were still in Roman's locker room, Seth sitting on Roman's lap, engaged in a conversation. Galina and Joelle had gone to get snacks for the main event. They turned at the sound of the door opening, breaking out into grins of their own. Dean held up the briefcase before walking over and stealing a kiss from both of them. "So, when's you guys' match?"

"Got about an hour," Seth replied giddily. He hopped up and practically tackled Dean onto the bench opposite of the one Roman was sitting on. The champ stared at them, Seth peppering Dean's neck with kisses, biting and trying not to leave bruises. Dean reversed their positions and did the same to Seth. They then got up and both advanced on Roman. The Samoan looked at both of them stoically before grabbing their arms and pulling them close. Quite a bit of kissing, cuddling, hair pulling, massaging, and biting went on for a few minutes, the three panting a bit with slightly swollen lips and darkened eyes.

"I wish… we had more… time," Roman panted. Dean chuckled, placing a sloppy, wet kiss on one of his cheeks.

"There's always after the show, right?" The brunette asked innocently. Both his lovers chuckled, nodding in agreement. Suddenly remembering something, Dean reluctantly stood up and started searching through his bag for something. He seemed a bit panicked when his search yielded no results.

"What're you looking for?" Seth asked, that worry that never seemed to go away settling in yet again. Roman internally groaned. Don't tell him he left it back at the apartment. He'd checked his bag every five seconds that afternoon just to make sure it was there! Dean ended up dumping out his bag on the floor in front of him, obscuring the contents from view by blocking them with his body. It **had** to be there. He'd checked ten times before they left his apartment. No no no no no!

"Um, my… my phone," Dean replied shakily, thinking of a quick lie. Street clothes, phone, wallet, bag of Jolly Ranchers, bag of Twizzlers, a Snickers bar, a few random papers… Aha! A small black box with a blue ribbon was trapped beneath his rolled up street clothes. Thank goodness! He breathed a sigh of relief, pocketing it and his phone for later. He repacked his bag, zipped it up, and rejoined the other two. "Okay, got it." Seth flashed him a funny look while Roman shook his head. Jeez. A few texts of well wishes and good luck from some old friends in Cincinnati, a couple of guys in the locker room, CM Punk and AJ Lee, Renee Young, some of his buddies from the indies, but that was it. "Tonight's the night. Ready to blow the roof off this place?"

"Definitely," Roman responded. On the subject of the end of the show, the three began to discuss what they were going to say, what they were going to do, what their backup plan for the backup of the backup plan was, the reactions they'd get, etc. By the time they were done, it was nearly time for the main event to start. The three walked to the curtain together, trying to contain their excitement and nerves. Dean was furiously checking his back pocket every few steps they took, hands unable to stay still. The three embraced while no one was around, foreheads touching and arms around each other. "No matter what happens, we'll be the Shield again by the end of the night. So let's go out there and give it all we've got because we will be on top of the company again. Believe that." The three broke apart with confident game faces on. Dean hung back a ways so as not to arouse suspicion.

Seth was announced first, looking pumped and ready to regain the "title he never lost". Roman wore and held the belt proudly, marching to the ring with a determined attitude and unforgiving stare. Dean didn't know what he was expecting, but he honestly didn't expect this. Roman was the heel in this situation. He was trash talking, mocking, and completely disrespecting his baby brother without a second thought. And Seth? He was the face, being just as clean and good guy-ish as can be. The match had so many near falls and Dean had half a mind to rush out there. Crafty move after counter after crafty move. He's pretty sure his heart stopped after every big move. He almost had a mini panic attack when he saw what Seth was attempting. The turnbuckle powerbomb that blew his knee out at that house show. He could see Seth's hesitation, his fear of getting injured again. Of course, he's Seth Freakin' Rollins and he completely ignores that fear. He gets into position, slowly and cautiously, and successfully executes the move. Dean and the crowd collectively let out the breath they didn't know they were holding in.

An attempted spear was countered. An enzuigiri was avoided. A pedigree was turned into a back body drop. A pin turned into a powerbomb. Blows were traded, frustration grew, tempers flared, fans were overwhelmed with anxiousness. The commentators were losing their minds, chatting up storms, criticizing certain wrestlers in or related to the match… It came to a point where neither "former" Hound of Justice could hardly stand. The two locked gazes, pure fire and reflection of will being displayed. Roman would do anything and everything he could to keep his title. Seth would do the same to get back what was rightfully his. They kept wondering what it would take to put the other away. Moves were repeated, the level of brutality rose. Finally, it seemed that Roman had the upper hand. He was in position, waiting for the right moment. From the opposite corner, he charged Seth, hoping to spear him for the victory. Everyone went insane when Seth countered it in midair into a Pedigree. Dean choked on the water he was drinking, spitting it into the face of an unsuspecting employee who worked backstage. He gave an embarrassed apology and fixed his eyes back on the monitor. The match was probably over after that move. He pumped his fist in the air, screaming, "Yes! That's what I'm talkin' about, babe!" He then looked down at the briefcase by his feet. Then back to the screen. The briefcase, the screen. Oh boy. He hurried through a few hallways that were a shorter route to the other side of the arena. Seth wouldn't know what hit him. Literally.

Seth had Roman in the center of the ring, setting him up for a Pedigree. _Bam! One! Two! Three!_ The bell ringing reverberated throughout the arena. Seth had successfully beaten Roman for the title. Seth got a few precious moments to celebrate before Dean's music hit. Seth set his eyes on the entrance ramp, expecting a frontal assault. Wrong. He was so tired from his match that he had no time to react to being whacked from behind in the head by some weapon. Dean had snuck up from behind, and he was cashing in. He ran over to the referee and handed him the slightly dented briefcase. He made it official and got in the ring after Dean. He picked Seth up and planted him with Dirty Deeds. So much for being champion again. The ref's hand slammed down on the mat once more. _One!_ No way. _Two!_ Is it really happening? _Three_! The bell tolled once again and the fans went crazy. All Dean heard was, "- And **NEW** WWE World Heavyweight Champion-!" before he realized what just happened.

Holy- He was-. He couldn't believe. Seth couldn't believe it, the fans couldn't believe it, JBL certainly couldn't. He held the belt gingerly, as if he thought it would crumble at the slightest movement. He didn't know what to do, afraid the ref might snatch it back and hand it to someone else, afraid someone would announce that he wasn't the new champion after all. But it never happened. There's no interferences, no technicalities, no one's foot was "under the rope", no DQs, count outs, or draws. Dean Ambrose was the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. He got up and held the belt high and proud, the situation still not sinking in completely. He ended up on an announce table, celebrating with the fans. Seth and Roman looked on, frustrated for the cameras and with nervous eyes for what was about to go down. The PPV was supposed to go off air, but Dean grabbing some mics had everyone, commentators, fans, wrestlers, etc, confused. Headsets were screamed into at the English announce table, camera crew, and refs. The Spanish and German announce tables were babbling in disbelief. They had no clue what was going on. Dean climbed back into the ring, offering a hand to Seth, who took it to the surprise of the fans. Seth held the ropes for Roman while he slowly made his way into the ring, head throbbing like he'd just gotten kicked by a horse.

"Alright, so we agreed to no hard feelings right?" Seth tried to glare at him, but ended up smiling instead. Roman shook his head, smirking, as Dean handed him his phone. All he said was, "Record it". Roman knew all too well what Dean was talking about. The proposal. "Well, as you guys have probably noticed," Dean began addressing the crowd, "We don't hate each other! In fact, *take turns kissing each other* we love each other! Call us crazy, dub them unhinged and insane like me, but that's never gonna change. It's been like this since… Christmas in 2014? Well, that's when everyone could actually look at each other again without wanting to rip each other's guts out, anyway. I mean, the road's been pretty bumpy gettin' here, but…"

Seth took a deep breath in. "Ever since my brothers have found it in their hearts to forgive me, I've done everything I can to make it up to them and fix everything I fucked up two years ago! Everything I accomplished, everything I've said or done, was to get us to this moment. You see, the Shield was never broken. I'll admit, the first two or three months were Hell *looks at Dean*, but we got back on track. 'Course, when that happened, the Authority targeted us, tried to make us suffer, take us out. No matter what they threw at us, we persevered, we didn't give up. For months, we've been trying to dismember them from the inside out. Even though Steph and Trips aren't running RAW together anymore, they'll try to take back over. *shakes his head* Nah nah nah, that's not gonna happen. They have their supporters, their army, their ace in the hole… and we have ours. And no matter what they do, they will crash and burn because we are the Shield! This is our yard, our ring, our company, and no power hungry corporate asshole is gonna change that!" The fans went wild, chanting, " _Hounds of Justice!_ *clap clap clapclapclap*"

Roman put his fist out along with Seth. They looked to Dean, who couldn't meet their eyes. "You might as well put them down 'cause I still have something to say before we go all official. I gotta talk about emotions too, so this'll probably sound horrible. I hate talking about feelings. But it's the good kind, so… I always pushed them aside because all I'd ever known was pain, anger, loneliness, guilt. The only person I ever really loved was my mom. After I left, I didn't have anyone, didn't want anyone. I didn't trust anyone because I knew they'd just abandon me like everyone else in my life. Take what they want and leave me high and dry without a moment's hesitation. I thought I'd be a loner for life. That was before I met Seth and Roman. You know the history, so I'll just get to the point." Dean stopped, adjusting the belt on his shoulder and wiping his forehead. Here goes…

"Seth, since the day I first laid eyes on you, I knew you were something special. Since the day we first wrestled together, I knew you were someone special. I called us wrestling soulmates. Who'd've thought we'd turn out to be actual soulmates, right? *sigh* Since the day I really looked into those beautiful brown eyes and saw how you weren't judging me or feeling pity, I had the feeling that I was meant to meet you. Don't you people call it cheesy or sappy, alright? Alright, I'm just tryin' to be honest here. Seth, I've loved you since we first got to know each other. I just didn't know it yet. Now, here we are, makin' names for ourselves in the big leagues with Ro." The few minutes ago former champ blushed, taking his lower lip in between his teeth and looking away. "Hey, look at me. I want you to look me in the eyes and see how serious I am about everything I've got to say. I love everything about you. Whether it was your adorable blonde patch, your dorky personality, how you saw me for me and not some abusive bad boy from Cincinnati. I want to spend the rest of my life waking up to all that, being able to be with you everyday, a family, maybe kids somehow, I don't know!" The new champion scratched the back of his neck, fingers twitching nervously and nonstop.

"There is nothing I wouldn't do to have you by my side forever… I know I'm a lunatic, easily irritable, annoying as Hell sometimes-" Seth and Roman give him a look. "- Okay, all the time. Happy now, you asshats? What I'm tryin' to say is that… I know I'm far from perfect, I'm far from whole, from being a man you deserve, but you're the missing link. You're the last piece of the puzzle. There is no Dean Ambrose without Seth Rollins. There never has been. *sigh* Jesus, it's been a long night… With that said, flaws, imperfections, and all… plus the fact that this is on national television, I need to know…" Dean looked at Roman, who nodded. "Aaaah… What I need to ask is, is this: Colby Lopez, after everything I've put you through… *pulls ring box out of back pocket and gets down on one knee* Will you marry a lunatic like me?" The crowd erupted into cheers, chants of _Yes!_ , chants of _What?!_ The ring was a golden band with three gemstones. The center was a large sapphire, left was a ruby, and right was a diamond. Engraved on the ring was: _Soulmates In Wrestling And Life,_ _Jon_. It was one of the most beautiful things Seth had ever seen.

So, here he was, here they were. Dean had finally popped the question. All the Lunatic Fringe could think was, ' _What if he says no?_ ' It was the single most devastating thing that could ruin this night. Seth looked scared. Scratch that, terrified, paralyzed with fear and uncertainty. Dean's body was on fire, nerves blazing, able to handle just about anything. Except for hearing one word that would crush his heart and annihilate any hope he had for a future with his lovers. He felt awkward, still in this position, on one knee, holding out a tiny box like it was a life raft in the middle of the ocean. Seth could grab it and swim into the sunset with him, or deny it and sink to the bottom of the unforgiving waters. Stupid way to look at it he knew, but he felt like he'd drown in his emotions of grief if Seth denied him. "Babe, talk to me." Still, he didn't get an answer. His nervous, hopeful smile faltered and he feared the worst. He knew it. No one would choose to marry something as worthless and irrelevant as him. He didn't deserve it. Seth definitely deserved better.

Roman grew more concerned by the second. Seth had dreamed of marrying Dean for years. He'd confessed this fact to Roman himself! Standing at an altar, exchanging their vows, getting the rings, hearing those final words by the priest before they were bonded for life… If that lovesick idiot said no to his biggest dream, Dean wouldn't be the only one to disappear… He was so tempted to walk over there, grab the ring, put it on Seth's hand, and walk out. Heck, he'd have already done it if he didn't have his self control keeping him in check. He was about to say something when Seth raised his mic. He had tears in his eyes that he was holding back and frankly, so did Dean. The murmuring of the crowd went dead silent at that moment. The Iowa native looked his soulmate in his eyes, searching for something. He must've found it, because he took a deep breath and tuck some strands of hair behind his ear.

"Jon," Seth whispered, voice cracking at the end. Everyone, whether at home or in the arena, was on the edge of their seat, holding their breath until he gave his answer. "What kind of- Was that a trick question?! Are you fucking kidding me?! Do you even have to ask?!" he yelled enthusiastically, tears freely falling from his sparkling, love filled eyes. "Yes, you lunatic, of course I will!" Dean beamed slipping the ring onto his now fiance's hand, electricity sparking at their touch. It was the same when the two had first met. Every touch sent mini shock waves throughout their bodies, lighting their nerves on fire and making them feel more alive than anything. They both gasped, beaming still, before lunging at each other for the most passionate, loving, like it's the last thing I'll ever do kiss anyone had ever seen. Their arms were around each other, Dean's cupping Seth's face, Seth's around his neck and on his lower back. The fans were cheering _Holy Shit!, Yes!_ , and, unfortunately for Seth, _Ambrollins_! The two just kept diving in for more kisses, much to JBL dislike. Roman did capture everything on Dean's phone, still recording them making out before clearing his throat as loud and obnoxious as he could.

When they broke apart, Seth told him, "Don't think this makes up for cashing in on me. Just because we're getting married does not mean you get special treatment." Dean just pecked him on the cheek and smirked.

"Wouldn't have it any other way, babe. Alright, now we can do the thing." Dean held his fist out, immediately joined by Seth and Roman. _Sierra! Hotel!_ _India! Echo! Lima! Delta! Shield._ It was a long road getting there, but the Shield was finally back together. Reunited, unbreakable, unstoppable. They would go on to cement their legacy as one of the greatest stables and three of the greatest singles competitors to ever set foot in a squared circle one day. Of course, that was years from now. The future. What mattered at the moment was the present. What mattered was the three men in the ring together as one. It took a few years, but finally Seth was truly back with them. He was their fallen angel, and he'd finally been restored.

Closing A/N: Phew! Long chapter. Inspiration just kept coming, sorry not sorry. That's my writing on a good day… which probably means the epilogue is gonna suck in comparison. *sigh* All the thanks and last minute notes will be in the epilogue btw. I never thought I'd get this far with the story, let alone finish it, but I did, so achievement earned! I'll see you guys in a little.


	33. Epilogue: At Long Last

Epilogue: At Long Last

A/N: The end is nigh. My mind has finally snapped. My main reason for the Fallen Angel Restored fic was thrown out the window because of WWE and its storylines and whatnot. Well, this takes place after the end of the fic and their plan finally yields results. Here's how I originally wanted to end the story. What was intended to be a one-shot is now the epilogue. Enjoy!

Tonight was the night. The Authority's surprise return a few months ago was something the Shield had been anticipating. Finally, after all the support they'd gathered, all their months of hard work, their plan could finally be executed. Seth had gotten his shot at the U.S title, easily dispatching of Rusev. Roman had done everyone a favor and shut the Miz up. He held the Intercontinental Championship with pride. And Dean? After his cash in at Money in the Bank, he'd finally become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Tonight, one year since Seth's betrayal of the Authority, the Shield was ready to put an end to their reign of power once and for all. In the Shield's personal locker room, the three leaders of the Resistance, so to speak, were preparing for RAW. They were dressed in their classic Shield vests, though their logos were clearly displayed on the front. The back held the Shield's logo as well. Something to commemorate the momentous occasion. Seth's blonde streak was making a return, after its disappearance after Seth's injury a year and a half ago. Dean was holding a clipboard that held some very important documents, the key to the power couple's downfall.

"All these years people have tried to throw the Authority out of power. Finally, after our long year of hard work, it's happening. Are you guys ready for this?" Seth asked his two lovers. The world knew about their relationships as more than just brothers, seeing as how Dean even **proposed** to Seth the night of the Shield's official reunion, and explained to the world just how close the three had become after all this time. Boy was **that** a shocker to everyone.

"We were born ready for this," Roman declared confidently. "How 'bout you, Dean?" The Lunatic Fringe gave him his trademark grin, holding up the clipboard with satisfaction.

"They're gonna get what's comin' to 'em, and when they do, drinks are on me." Seth smiled, holding his fist out, where it was quickly joined by his brothers'. Dean pulled Seth into a slow, passionate kiss, resting their foreheads together afterwards. The Authority had targeted the two of them especially after their return to power. They'd put Shane in the hospital as an excuse to take his place, had an airtight alibi and everything to prevent charges and things from being pressed against them. Dean and Seth had been forced to fight each other, Roman, their allies, and friends, had been on the receiving end of beat downs from day one. Now, the numbers game was in their favor. Last PPV, Team Shield had beaten Team Authority (The Shield, Kofi Kingston, Sin Cara, and, surprisingly, the Undertaker vs. Triple H, Chris Jericho, Kevin Owens, Sheamus, Rusev, and Kane) and made a statement. Their momentum had been unstoppable since.

The end of the show was drawing nearer by the second, and soon, the Authority was in the ring. They were on their usual rants, proclaiming how they were never going to be overthrown, had unlimited power, how they'd destroy the Shield. Then, the music hit. _Sierra! Hotel! India! Echo! Lima! Delta! Shield._ The Shield emerged from the crowd like they used to. Everyone was shocked to see them in their somewhat new gear, but still being able to maintain their usual look at the same time. What made them look even more menacing was how each member had some weapon on them. Seth had a sledgehammer holstered to his back, a steel chair in his right hand. Dean looked like an arms dealer. Two kendo sticks were equipped on either side of his belt along with a silver crowbar and a pair of nunchucks. Roman, much to Dean's protests at wanting them, wore brass knuckles (boy would a superman punch hurt after that), with a chair at his side as well.

"What the Hell are you three doing out here?" the Game growled at them. Dean smirked at him, flipping him the middle finger before heading towards the entrance ramp. They stood opposite the Authority, Seth raising his mic.

"A year ago," the two toned man began, "I stood here in this ring and defied you. I cut my ties with the Authority and took my place back with the two most important people in my life. You didn't like that very much, so you targeted us, but not just us. Everyone who couldn't stand you, who hated your guts, was on the receiving end of it all. For a year, the Shield has been fighting with basically the entire roster to bring you down. Tonight, tonight is the last night that'll ever happen. Tonight is the end for you." He hands the microphone to Roman.

"For the past year, either you *points at Triple H* or that *points at Stephanie* poor excuse of a woman have done something to abuse your power and make someone's life a living Hell. Whether it was us, some poor schmuck who's stuck on Main Event, or someone who quit because they couldn't bear to spend another second in a company corrupted by the likes of you, you've done wrong. We're here to bring you to justice. This is our yard. Every hardworking person backstage, in the locker rooms, in production trucks, at tech stations, have a right to call this ring and everything around it there's. You don't have a place here, not anymore you don't." The powerhouse turned to Dean who gladly grabbed the mic and put his arm around Seth's waist. The U.S. champ gave him a peck on the cheek. He held up his fancy clipboard.

"Ya see this? This just so happens to be a paper with the signatures of every single member of the WWE Board of Directors. And when I say every, that includes _daddy dearest_ Vince McMahon!" The crowd cheered while Hunter and Stephanie paled. Both groups knew that could only mean one thing… Dean beamed maniacally at the reactions. "Oo. Someone looks a lil' bit scared. What's a matter? Already know what's gonna happen?"

"What kind of sick joke is this, Ambrose? My father would never-"

"Oh, but he would. Actually…" He flipped through the pages until he found what he was looking for. "Daddy dearest was the first to sign off on the agreement. *tosses clipboard into the ring*" Triple H immediately snatched it up, intending to rip it to shreds.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. We still have possession of the original, Trips. Tearing up those papers would only make your case worse," Seth told them, making Triple H freeze his movements. Instead, the legend flipped through the pages until he found Vince's signature. Sure enough, Dean hadn't been lying, as the rest of the board's signatures were there as well. Stephanie took it out of his hands and double checked. There had to be a loophole, some sort of escape. There had to be something they could do. "It's over, Hunter, Steph."

"You can't do this to us! We're the Authority! You can't do this!" Stephanie screamed in outrage.

"That doesn't mean jack shit anymore, princess. As of *glances at his invisible wrist watch* right now…" The trio looked at each other before all three screaming into the microphone.

" **YOU'RE FIRED**!" The crowd erupted into _Yes!_ chants, leaving the Authority speechless and fuming. Triple H signaled something and, before long, the remnants of the Authority and its allies surrounded the ring, sending death glares at the Shield. Dean threw his hands up in exasperation and Roman pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head. Seth held his fist up and superstar upon diva upon superstar emerged. It wasn't just current employees either. Legends, NXT rookies, even superstars that had quit or been released joined the fray. Most notably: CM Punk and AJ Lee, Cody Rhodes, Kaitlyn, Michelle McCool and Layla, Rey Mysterio, Edge and Christian, Daniel Bryan, The Hardy Boyz, Drew McIntyre, Brodus Clay, Damien Sandow, to name a few.

The Authority was outnumbered and they knew it. That didn't mean they couldn't go down without a fight though. They charged with reckless abandon, the Shield joining their fellow comrades. The opposing forces had formed a barrier around the ring, making the Authority virtually untouchable. Seth's chair had such deep dents that a hole was about to be in it. Roman's brass knuckles were covered in blood, saliva, and a tooth or two, from the amount of superman punches he'd dished out (ow is all I have to say). One of Dean's kendo sticks was splintered and in pieces beside him as he expertly used his nunchucks on every foe he could get his hands on. The line of enemies wore down and, eventually, the Shield had a clear path to the couple that'd caused them so much pain, suffering, and misery. Triple H, Kane, and Sheamus protected Stephanie and The Shield stood before them. It was a stare down battle for a little before Triple H had the gall to say something unintelligible to them.

"You have your resolve and your determination, Hunter. You think you have loyal employees and friends to watch your back. Let me ask you this: Where's your best friend at? Where's Shawn Michaels?" Roman demanded to know. Triple H froze and looked past the three Hounds of Justice to see HBK, ring gear, hat, cowboy chaps and all, standing on the apron behind them. Shawn climbed into the ring and stood in front of his closest friend. Triple H stared at him in disbelief.

"We knew you wouldn't just give up, even if the fighting got to this point. So, we called up an old friend of yours, and he was more than happy to help us," Seth snarled. He had been the one to call his idol. They weren't on the best of terms the last time they were seen together, but they'd apologized and forgiven each other eventually. When they told Shawn what they needed him for, the legend flat out refused to help them at first. When they started explaining things a bit more, Shawn was shocked and, after a little more convincing, agreed to assist them when the time came. Now that he was here, he was starting to regret coming. The heartbroken look in his best friend of 20+ years' eyes made it hard for him to say or do anything. Guess he's not called the Heartbreak Kid for nothing.

"Hunter, don't do this. Just give it up. There's nothing more you can do."

"After all we did to get where we did, after everything the both of us have gone through together, and all these years, how could you just side with them and turn your back on me?!" The hurt and pain was clear in his voice.

"I'm not turning my back on you! I'm trying to get you to see what you've become, to see the mess you've gotten yourself in!"

"Shawn, I'll say this once. I don't wanna hurt you and I don't wanna do something I'll regret. Stand down, _please_." HBK chuckled coldly, the sadness in his eyes impossible to miss.

"You already have." Sheamus had had enough of the conversation, launching a kick at Seth. He avoided it and dished out one of his own as Kane squared up with Sheamus and Dean with Triple H. All around the ring, there were bleeding, unconscious, battered, and tired bodies laid out everywhere. The few wrestlers left from each side approached the ring, intending to help end the war. Triple H and Dean both raised hands to tell them to stay out of it. The two locked gazes, neither wanting to make the first move, before Dean charged at the COO. Fists, kicks, and bodies flew all across the ring. Kane had managed to hit Roman with a Chokeslam. Checking up on Sheamus, he and the Celtic Warrior were both taken out by a Phoenix Splash by Seth. He checked on the I.C. champ, who was still a bit dazed, before turning to see Dean floor Triple H with a couple of kendo stick shots.

Seeing this, Kevin Owens and Rusev, along with a now recovered Kane, rushed to his aid. Kevin met a crowbar shot to the gut, Rusev met a chair to the back, and Kane ate a sledgehammer shot to the head. Shawn held back Stephanie as Dean and Seth held Triple H up. He ate a devastating spear from Roman. Dean hit him with a Dirty Deeds afterwards and let Seth finish him off with a Pedigree. The Showstopper closed his eyes and turned his head away, not wanting to see his best friend decimated. The Hounds of Justice once again made eye contact with each other before nodding to Roman. The big dog let out a loud roar as Dean and Seth pick Triple H up and hoisted him onto Roman's shoulders. In typical Shield like fashion, they delivered a triple powerbomb to the man who'd been a thorn in their side for too long. The crowd was deafening, making it almost impossible to hear anything else. The three held their fists out as their theme played and they stood victorious. The Authority was no more.

XxX

That night, the city went wild. People burned furniture along several streets, bars, pubs, and clubs held parties and were overflowing with fans. Many of the WWE employees, whether they were wrestlers or not, joined in on the celebration. Dean, as promised, bought all the drinks for his brothers, though not too many, as the night went on. There wasn't a quiet place to be found no matter where you went. Eventually, the boys retreated back to the sanctuary of their hotel room, hoping to escape the out of control fans and coworkers trying to follow them. They collapsed on the bed, tired, sore, but ecstatic beyond belief. No more Authority, no more power struggles, no more gauntlet matches, no more friendships divided. For now at least, there would be a little while of peace. The three stripped out of their sweltering ring gear and the rest of their clothes and enjoyed the somewhat quiet environment of their room. They could still hear music and shouting from the window, but the hotel was silent.

"We did it. I never thought I'd see the day, but we did it," Seth stated in awe. Roman smiled and planted a soft kiss on his lips that Seth immediately reciprocated. They each had hands fisted in each other's hair, refusing to let go. Dean crawled over to them and climbed on top of the both of them when they broke apart.

"Since everyone else is it havin' a blast, why don't we celebrate a bit?" Dean held up a bottle of lube to them after his suggestion, making the either two men raise their eyebrows at him. Never had they had a threesome where they all… The time after Wrestlemania with Roman didn't count. They were all hard just thinking about it. Roman looked concerned while Seth was deep in thought.

"Are you sure that's a good idea? We've never done this before," Roman said skeptically. Seth glanced at him amused.

"If you'd taken us up on those offers all those months ago we would have had plenty of practice!" Seth told him matter of factly in a joking manner. Roman blushed and gently punched his shoulder. Seth shoved him playfully before the two were locked in a sitting collar and elbow tie up, preparing to brawl a bit. Dean watched fascinated for a minute before clearing his throat.

"AHEM! *both stop and look at him* You never answered my question." The two looked at each other before responding simultaneously, "Yes!" His eyes darkened with love and lust as he handed them the bottle and joined them on the other side of the bed. Suffice to say that whoever was sent to clean their room that morning was in for a surprise…

XxX

They were all crashing at Dean's apartment in Vegas while the show was in town. Roman was cooking breakfast while Dean was smiling at something he'd gotten from the mail. Seth joined them in the kitchen after he woke up, heading over to his strangely happy soon to be husband. He wrapped his arms around the brunette from behind and pressed a kiss to his neck. "Whatcha got there, baby?" Dean showed the papers to him. Seth beamed with him, not thinking they'd turn out that well. Roman finished cooking the bacon and pancakes before setting them on the table and asking why his lovers were so excited.

"The wedding invitations came in today. *hands one to Roman*" The Samoan looked it over, finding it impossible to not smile at the paper. Finally, his brothers, lovers, best friends, could be truly happy. They were getting married in a few months and it couldn't be more perfect.

"I'm still the best man, right?" They nodded to him. "Huh. Since Jon proposed, and because he's Jon, doesn't that make you the bride, Colby?" Seth blushed a bit before glaring at Roman.

"Joe, we've been over this. We're both grooms. I am NOT the girl in this relationship."

"That's not how it seemed last night when you were **screaming** my name, telling me to fuck you harder until-"

"Okay, too much detail, Jon." Roman said smiling, interrupting him before he could start imagining things.

"I had you begging and squirming beneath me-"

"Seriously, Jon!" Roman slapped a hand over his mouth, which resulted in Dean pressing kisses to it and licking it instead of keeping him quiet. Roman quickly retracted his hand and wiped it on his shorts in fake disgust. Dean stopped, sticking his tongue out at his older brother/lover, but pulled out his phone and showed Seth a picture of him in a wedding gown and Dean in a suit. Seth had a bouquet and everything, a veil even. And those high heels… Oy vey.

"Stupid fan art," Seth grumbled, though there was no heat in his statement, deleting the image off of Dean's phone. "I'll send some of these invitations out later if you want. For now, *grabs some pancakes* let's eat." They ate their breakfast gladly. The Shield was united and at the top of the company, the Authority sent packing and never to be seen or heard from again (hopefully). Dean and Seth were getting married. Everything had worked itself out. Roman, Seth, and Dean had everything they'd ever wanted and more. Looks like they'd have a happily ever after after all.

Final Closing A/N: I want to thank every single person who ever read, reviewed, favorited, followed, PM'd, everything. You're the reason I didn't give up on my story when the writer's block took over, or the storylines changed. It's only been a few months, but it feels like longer. And, I'm happy to say that the prequel is in progress. Just got to iron out a few minor details like names and minor OCs and stuff. The prologue and chapter one have already been written and are in the editing process. And who knows? Maybe there's a sequel in this story's future? Haven't decided yet. Maybe I'll write the wedding? I'll see you guys next story (You Saved Me from the Darkness)! :)

~Special thanks to KozueNoSaru, who has given me advice, constructive criticism, hope, and inspiration whenever I've needed it. You're the best! 3


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